


A World Far Past Your Own

by hannibal_rises



Series: Kenobi [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Luke is kinda an emo but still has a crush on Ben Kenobi, M/M, Time Travel, Trans Kylo Ren, all of the padawans, eventual BAMF Obi-Wan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2018-10-18 21:02:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 48,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10625076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannibal_rises/pseuds/hannibal_rises
Summary: All Obi-Wan Kenobi ever wanted to be was a Jedi. He wanted to do his best for the Order, raise a padawan, and maybe have his Master fall in love with him, though he doubted the possibility of the latter. The last thing Obi-Wan Kenobi wanted was to be some Jedi icon, or to be torn out of his timeline.Faced with a world of darkness and sorrow over 80 years past the galaxy he knew, Obi-Wan just wants to find his way home, but it seems he may just help bring everyone else home first.





	1. Chapter 1

 

                Qui-Gon woke to the sound of voices, attempts at whispers that could only be made by a nine year old and the amused chuckle of his padawan. “Wait! So you’re saying I could be a Jedi and a Pilot?!” Anakin exclaimed only to receive a chuckling shush.

                “One of my best friends is a Knight Pilot, Anakin. There are many paths of the Jedi. Healers, Pilots, even farmers. There are many options we’re given, though many of us follow the traditional path to knighthood.” Obi-Wan explained, glancing over to Qui-Gon and smiling. “Well good afternoon, Master. It’s good to see you back with us.”

                Qui-Gon simply grunted and shifted into a sitting position. “Attempting to usurp young Skywalker before he’s even a padawan I see.” Qui-Gon teased, hissing and resting a hand on his abdomen. One glance at the worried expression on Obi-Wan’s face reminded him just how close he was to dying those days prior.

                The sounds of the shields wurring in Qui-Gon’s ears were loud enough to drown out the taunts of the Sith and the cries of his padawan in his mind. He couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t lose Obi-Wan to the sith like he lost Xanatos to the darkness. One fallen padawan had been more than enough, thank you very much.

                _The sound of the cycle winding down had Qui-Gon opening his eyes again, only to hear the shields behind him fall, the red layer burning just before his nose remained standing. A grunt of relief reached his ears before the sound of Obi-Wan running toward him. “What are you doing, Padawan?” Qui-Gon nearly growled. He couldn’t lose him damnit!_

_“I got into the shield system with the force. No easy task thank you very much.” Came Obi-Wan’s short reply. “You won’t be able to face him alone, Master. We need to work together.”_

_Qui-Gon grit his teeth together before finally nodding. If his padawan was deft enough with the force to be able to get into the computers just to slow him down… Finally, the ray shields dropped and Qui-Gon was dashing out to attack the Sith. It was a blur, but suddenly his lightsaber flew from his hand and hot plasma pressed against his chest. Seconds from making peace with the force the heat was gone and he was dropping to his knees. Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan had slammed his saber against the Zebrak’s, successfully deflecting what would have been a fatal blow to the master._

_Between two blinks… or had it been more? Obi-Wan had been tossed into the melting pit, and then was souring back to kill the sith with Qui-Gon’s blade. The edges of his vision was turning grey and it required much more energy to keep his eyes open than it ever should…. “Don’t you dare leave me like this Qui-Gon Jinn you absolute fool.”_

                Looking at Obi-Wan now… Qui-Gon could see a shadow of the Jedi Master he would become, a whisper of the force hinting towards something greater than Qui-Gon would ever be able to comprehend. Words like “Sith Slayer” and “Master of The New Jedi” whispered themselves into his mind, but he shook them away. “Don’t make silly accusations, Master. I’m nowhere near ready to take on a padawan, I’ve only been knighted in words days ago. You still have yet to cut my braid.” Obi-Wan’s voice brought Qui-Gon from his thoughts.

                “I should have knighted you months ago, Padawan mine. You’ve been ready for some time.” Qui-Gon said, though the smile that spread across Obi-Wan’s face did not quite reach his eyes. “So what has he been telling you, Anakin?”

                “He said his friend Garen was coming to pick us up soon! That Garen is a Jedi and a pilot! You didn’t tell me I could be both!” Anakin bounced excitedly, grinning between the knight and master.

                “There were a great many things I didn’t get a chance to tell you, young one.” Qui-Gon said, looking to Obi-Wan again. “So it’s Garen who’s giving us a ride home?”

                “You and Anakin, yes. He’s dropping me only a few parseks out from here for my first mission as a knight. We’ve been waiting for you to be travel ready.” Obi-Wan said with a small smile.

                “A mission already? Is killing a Sith not enough for the council to finally give us time off?” Qui-Gon grumbled. “You and I have been non-stop for months, you defeat a Sith and Mace is already sending you off on missions alone.”

                Obi-Wan simply chuckled, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, Master. It’s not a solo mission, I’m meeting up with Knight Tachi and the mission should only take a few weeks. I’ll be back on Coruscant to badger you and your new padawan before you know it. You have at least another month under healer’s watch and Anakin has a lot to catch up on before you two will be assigned any missions.”

                Qui-Gon let out a sigh, his hand sliding over the core of his body without his brain’s command. The warm ache in his chest was something he was sure he would never grow used to, more intense than any other lightsaber injury he had received, even from Xanatos… “Come, Anakin, let’s let Master Qui-Gon rest. The healers will be kicking us out as soon as they realize he’s awake anyway.” Obi-Wan continued, watching his master carefully.

                “Bye Qui-Gon Sir!” Anakin said, bounding forward to hug the master as gently as he could. “Is it ok if I call you “Sir”? Obi said it might be better but he calls you “Master” if you want me to…”

                Qui-Gon blinked between the boys, locking eyes with Obi-Wan long enough to see him mouth “slave” at him. Oh. OH. He had been an idiot. Having a child who had been raised a slave call him “Master”. Complete idiot. “Actually, Anakin. You don’t have to call me “Sir” either. You can simply call me “Qui-Gon””

                Anakin grinned up at him and then over to Obi-Wan. “Would you like to go see if Padme has some spare time to take a walk with us until Qui-Gon is free of the Healer’s clutches?” Obi-Wan guided gently hoping to redirect if not ebb Anakin’s excitement.

                Anakin nodded and leapt from the bed and rushed toward the door. “I’ll see you shortly, Master. You still have a knighting to do.” Obi-Wan teased, strolling after Anakin with a small smile and suddenly Qui-Gon realized something… Sending Obi-Wan to the crèche for punishment had been the wrong move. Obi-Wan seemed to adore children, even when he had his bias against them.

 

                The knighting ceremony was brief, witnessed by Yoda, Mace, Anakin and Garen. The way Garen embraced Obi-Wan and teased him for finally getting knighted made Qui-Gon suddenly feel the need to look away. Never before had he thought of Obi-Wan and Garen being anything more than friends, but suddenly he realized that he had been very wrong. How many things had he not noticed during Obi-Wan’s time as his padawan?

                Obi-Wan’s farewell on the transport was stiff, too professional and diplomatic for Qui-Gon’s preference. Pulling his old padawan into his arms and keeping him there for moments, he felt Obi-Wan finally unraveling their training bond, a sense of longing and sadness trailed down those threads of connection before they were completely faded from each other. “May the force be with you, Master Jinn.”

                “May the Force be with you, Knight Kenobi.”

 

                Qui-Gon’s recovery went slower than he had hoped it would, but he spent that time teaching Anakin things he would have learned in the crèche, neither quite ready for the field. Meditation, testing into and out of classes, pilots testing which never failed to excite the young padawan. Each day Anakin asked when Obi-Wan would return, and each day Qui-Gon said the same thing over his cup of tea. “I’m not sure, Padawan, but it will be soon I’m sure.”

                The day Obi-Wan returned the only reason Qui-Gon knew was because his mandatory visit to the healer’s ward. Obi-Wan stood stern next to a medbed, a dark look in his eye. It only took a moment for Qui-Gon to recognize the blonde hair on the pillow.

                “She will recover, Obi-Wan. You acted quickly enough that there was not more damage. It’s still possible she may lose the arm but there are many good replacements. The shrapnel was removed in time and the infection is ebbing already. Your fine control of the force saved her.” The healer said, arms crossed over his chest. “Now if you would please sit down I need to make sure you’re fine as well.”

                “I was under cover during the explosion, Siri was the only one caught in it. I’m fine, Healer. I need to report to the Council.”

                “You will sit or I will be forced to make you sit.” The healer growled, making Obi-Wan chuckle slightly and raise his hands in defeat.

                “I concede, Healer.”

                “Master Jinn, Healer Maa’ka will be with you shortly.” The young knight healer said, tugging Obi-Wan’s head back and pressing his thumbs to the bridge of Obi-Wan’s nose in a way that told Qui-Gon of the man’s broken nose.

                “Ah! Master Qui-Gon!” Obi-Wan said, attempting to turn his head toward his old master only to have the strong hands of the healer turn his head back.

                “Obi-Wan Kenobi I swear to the Force and all beings who touch it if you don’t sit still I will break you more until you can’t move.” The healer hissed out, making Obi-Wan chuckle.

                “As you can see, Master, Lorna has not changed since we were in the crèche.” Obi-Wan teased, grinning up at the healer with bloodied teeth.

                “You’re an idiot, Kenobi. Let me at least set your nose and finish your shoddy healing job on your leg and you can hobble your way to the council just for them to send you back here.” Lorna grumbled, smiling slightly at the way Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s chuckled harmonized.

 

                When Qui-Gon saw Obi-Wan next he was back to normal, dragging his items from Qui-Gon and Anakin’s quarters to his newly assigned knights rooms. “I’ve already been assigned another mission, I leave in the morning, and while I’d love to catch up on how Anakin’s training has been going and how you’re healing I haven’t slept in…. It’s been some time.” Obi-Wan admitted.

                And so a cycle began, the Council running Obi-Wan across the galaxy as he had apparently gained a name for himself as Hero of Naboo, and Anakin finally being ready for missions leaving very little time for new-knight and master to catch up. Anakin insisted often that he wanted to see Obi-Wan, knowing the knight was not only a fun person to spend time with, but also one he could gripe about his master’s habits and training styles with.

                Finally it seemed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would be on Coruscant together for the first time in nearly six months, but not nearly under the circumstances Qui-Gon would have preferred. Docking moments before another ship, Qui-Gon and Anakin watched as a long line of healers ran into the bay as the other ship landed. The hatch opened and the master and padawan watched as a dirt covered red haired knight stumbled down the ramp, another Jedi in his arms. Silence fell over the Jedi and Pilots as the Jedi was placed on a stretcher. “There’s no pulse… He’s gone.” A healer said, checking the Jedi on the stretcher before turning to the red-haired knight.

                “Knight Kenobi are you- Knight Kenobi!” As the healer turned to Obi-Wan, the knight crumpled under himself.

                Qui-Gon lurched forward, realizing a moment too late that Anakin had already started running toward his padawan-brother. “Obi!” Anakin yelled as Qui-Gon caught him, pulling Anakin to his chest to keep him back from getting in the way of the healers.

                “His pulse is low, shields falling. We need to get him into the ward immediately before we have two dead Jedi.” The healer said, motioning for the healers to grab a second stretcher. Qui-Gon watched in silent horror as his padawan was placed onto the stretcher, a puddle of bright red blood revealed on the durasteel floor from where he had been moved.

                “Master Jinn, you need to report to the Council.” A healer said softly to him, gaining the Master’s attention. Qui-Gon looked over to see Lorna, a light blue sheen to the healer’s pale skin. “I’ll be sure to inform you when Obi-Wan becomes stable. I’m sure your padawan would like to see him.”

                “Thank you, Lorna.” Qui-Gon whispered, feeling as though there were cotton in his throat.

 

                Two day had passed before Obi-Wan was allowed visitors. He had stabilized but did not wake. “We’re not sure why he’s not waking up.” Lorna said, running black fingers through his short white hair. “His shields were crumbling when we brought him in, but now they’re almost too strong. We can’t get in to find out what’s going on. All the Master Healers have tried, I’ve been allowed to try due to how close I am with him, but we haven’t been able to get in. If you still had your training bond with him you might be able to succeed but…”  
                “Master!” Anakin yelped, wide blue eyes staring at Obi-Wan, or, what could be seen of the knight. It was as though he were flickering in and out of existence.

                “Lorna! What’s happening?”

                “I don’t know Master Jinn! His vitals are stable, he’s completely alive but-!”

                “…Where did he go?” Anakin asked quietly, his young voice shaking.

                “I don’t know, Padawan…” Qui-Gon admitted, voice empty with worry, eyes locked on the now empty MedBed.

 

                Luke Skywalker could feel her the moment she dropped from hyperspace. The girl was a bright beacon of light in the Force, and he could feel her intentions rolling off her in waves. The damp of the island did little good for his aching joints, but still he figured it better than what Ben dealt with on Tattoine. With a bitter chuckle, he shook his head. “Oh Ben. If you could see me now.” Not that he doubted Ben could, he was part of the Force after all.

                The climb to the peak of the island would be easier if he could release the aches into the Force, but he would not make the girl’s quest any easier. She needed to find him on her own, not that he doubted her. Any child with that much strength in the Force could learn on her own, and would find out the hard way that she would have to.

                Slipping into a light meditation, he waited. The Force was tight, almost as though it were waiting just as he was, though for something else entirely he was sure. It whispered nothing of its secrets to him as it once did, telling him how the Galaxy yearned for his return, for both good and ill.

                Suddenly she was behind him, and he could feel her there, burning like a fire at his back, pleading with only it’s presence to be attended. He turned.

                She was older than he expected, but at the same time younger than he expected. Something in her face spoke of grief, spoke of Leia, but she stood as strong as the mountain beneath her boots. He moved to speak when the Force suddenly stretched and snapped back into place. The girl’s knees buckled and the lightsaber hit the ground as she clutched her head.

                Gripping the fabric of his robes over his chest, Luke turned his eyes to the horizon, feeling a pull. A presence he hadn’t felt in many years.


	2. The Strongest Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The strongest stars have hearts of Kyber"  
> Of crystals and padawans

“So you run away from your family, your responsibilities, hide for years! I expected you to put up a fight, not insist we fly across this planet to find some random unconscious man?!” Rey bit out, irritation rolling off her in waves, though Luke didn’t look to her. She could be irritated all she wanted, it only added to the reasons he wouldn’t train her. She reminded him too much of himself…

“Who even is this?” Rey demanded, pointing to the unconscious man lying in the bunk on the Falcon, the source of her ire.

Luke finally looked to Rey, looking her over again. “When you found me do you remember the feeling of being stretched and put back into place?” He questioned, leaving a hand on the shoulder of the man out of time. She gaped at him for a moment before clenching her teeth and nodding. “That was all due to him…” Luke looked again to the young face of Obi-Wan Kenobi, letting out a heavy sigh. “He does not belong here. Somehow… the Force brought him to this time.”

“Who is he?”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

 

 

 

Something was wrong. Obi-Wan could tell that much just from the Force as he slowly woke. It was… too quiet. He wasn’t on Coruscant. He wasn’t home. “Ah, you’re awake.” An aged voice spoke, making Obi-Wan open his eyes. He did not know that voice. “What do you remember, Master Kenobi?”

What did he remember? “Devoria… Daak was fading… We made it back to Coruscant… Is he alive…?” The man finally came into focus revealing grey hair and beard with sparse streaks of the original light brown, beautiful blue eyes that almost reminded him of his Master’s.

“I’m afraid I don’t know, Master Kenobi. Do you know what year it is?”

“I’m sorry but why do you keep calling me Master? I’m only a Knight, and though you seem to know my name I do not know yours.” Obi-Wan pressed back, more aware of his surroundings. There was no doubt the Jedi before him was a Jedi, and he could swear he knew the man. The Force whispered of a close familiarity, but there was no memory of this man for Obi-Wan.

The man looked down pensively before returning those blue eyes to meet Obi-Wan’s. “My name is Luke Skywalker.”

Skywalker? That caught Obi-Wan’s attention. The Force likely spoke of the familiarity between Obi-Wan and Anakin, his padawan-brother, but the way this Luke looked at him… “Are you perhaps a relative of Shmi Skywalker?” Obi-Wan asked carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was drag his padawan-brother into anything that may bring harm to him.

“I don’t know a Shmi Skywalker, Master Kenobi.” Luke said, frowning. “Though my sister is Leia Organa if my name is not familiar to you.”

“You list the surnames of my friends yet seem to have no familiarity with them.” Obi-Wan spoke, a vein of venom in his tone. “Where am I?”

“That is… difficult to explain.” Luke evaded, taking a deep breath. “How old are you, Master Kenobi?”

“I am twenty-two standard.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Luke Skywalker I swear to the Force.” A woman’s voice came from outside the door just before it opened revealing the form of a young woman.

She burned as brightly in the Force as Luke did, but differently. Where Luke read as power well reined in, the young woman was the moments before supernova. “Rey I told you to wait until he was awake.”

“Well he is awake, so either you can keep running him in circles or you can tell him what he needs to know so we can actually get back to what we’re supposed to do. I need to bring you back to the General if you’re not going to train me so you can clean up your own damn mess.” Rey said, looking over to Obi-Wan. “If you’re not going to tell him I will. How old did you say you were?”

Obi-Wan blinked repetitively before speaking. “Twenty-two.”

“Twenty-tw… He was what… fifty when he died?”

“Journal lead towards fifty-three.” Luke answered as Rey counted on her fingers.

“Battle of Yavin was about thirty-six years ago… Fifty-three minus twenty-two then add thirty-six… Well, you’re about sixty-seven years out of time, Master.” She said, crossing her arms and leaning back against the doorframe.

Obi-Wan stared at the girl for a few moments before looking to Luke again. “I’m sorry, what?”

“It appears that-“

“The Force decided to pick you up right from wherever you were and hurtle you here into our time, or at least that’s what Luke thinks.” Rey interrupted. “In our time you’ve been dead for about thirty years.”

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at the girl, then to Luke before standing. Blatantly ignoring the protests coming from the Old Jedi, Obi-Wan rushed past Rey and out to the halls of the ship. Finding his way to the loading dock would have been much more difficult had he not been using the Force to seek home. He only realized his feet were bare when they hit wet grass. Water roared around him as rain fell and the ocean crashed against rock.

The water helped ground him as he kept moving, stretching himself out within the Force, looking, searching for that center of Light he could always feel no matter where in the Galaxy he stood. His connections to Yoda, Qui-Gon, Anakin, Garen, Bant, Siri, every Jedi in the Order helped him find his way Home. He was at the peak of the island when he had finally pinpoint the strongest points of Light… and while two were on the island with him… he found only two in the nearest star systems, the farthest he could reach while in an active meditation.

His breathing was hard, harder than it ever should for such a short trek, an ache revealing itself inside his skull and chest. If he could not find them out in the Force, he should be able to find them inside himself and as he sunk into an internal meditation he could feel Luke and Rey nearing him.

Traveling the familiar paths of his own mind, those spots where his bonds had been were gone, stretched to a point that lead into nothing. Whether minutes or hours he was not sure, but he knew he spent a desperate amount of time screaming down his pair bond with Garen. Alone. They were gone, completely gone. Suddenly those sixty years Rey spoke of seemed nearly possible… but how were they all just… gone?

When he opened his eyes, Luke and Rey stood there with him, the older man offering his cloak. “You’re wearing only under tunics, Ben.” Luke said softly, and Obi-Wan accepted the comforting weight of the robe on his shoulders.

“They’re gone… They’re all gone…” Obi-Wan muttered, and something about the way Rey looked at him revealed far too much familiarity with the concept. Looking into Luke’s blue eyes Obi-Wan let that gaze comfort him enough to speak again. “What happened to them… All my friends… My family.”

“Come, Ben. I have something to show you. Rey, you could learn from these as well.” Luke said, the lines on his face almost seeming harsher, speaking of many struggles and much suffering.

 

Luke’s home was far within the stone base of the Island, a place kept dry enough that his entire existence wouldn’t be as moist as Rey had been sure it would. This… Obi-Wan was strange. He was nearly as young as she was and despite her many years of fending for herself it was almost as though he was too wise, ancient almost in his baring. Certainly a man out of time. Following Luke and Obi-Wan into the cave, Luke asked questions to the Jedi, knowing without doubt that was what Obi-Wan Kenobi was. “What circumstances were you in before you woke up here?”

“I was injured on a mission to Devoria with a fellow Knight. I don’t know if he survived, but he sustained worse injuries than myself.”

“Your padawan was not with you?”

“I don’t have a padawan.”

“Who is Anakin Skywalker to you, then?”

“Anakin is my brother-padawan. My Master Qui-Gon is his master.”

Luke answered with only a hum, leaving Obi-Wan looking to Rey with a desperately confused expression that she simply mirrored.

“These were kept hidden for me by my first Master.” Luke said, opening a chest to reveal actual paper bound books. “They record a first-hand experience of the Fall of the Jedi Order.”

Obi-Wan accepted a volume, eyes wide as he skimmed through the pages. “This is… my handwriting.”

“Wait… You’re Obi-Wan Kenobi… Old Ben Kenobi. Luke’s first master!” Finally it dawned on Rey, looking over the Jedi. He really was Obi-Wan Kenobi. This was real. It was actually happening.

Obi-Wan only looked back to her with a guarded but confused expression. “Technically that hasn’t happened yet… and it seems it won’t happen for him either.” Luke said, easing himself to sit. “Obi-Wan Kenobi of our time was not only a great Jedi but Master of Anakin Skywalker. Everything that happened seemed to center around that fact. If my father has a different Master in his time things may not progress as they had for us.”

Rey looked over Obi-Wan then back to Luke.

“If you don’t mind, Master Skywalker, I would like to read these… catch up on the galaxy I’m in now…” Obi-Wan said, making something seize up in Rey’s chest. He reminded her of herself, of Finn. He was lost now, friends and family torn from him without his consent, much as had happened to herself, to Finn. If Poe were here he’d know the perfect thing to day, just as he had won Finn over, as he had won her over, made her feel like she belonged…

“Come, stay with me on the Falcon. It’ll be easier somewhere less damp.” Rey offered, arms crossed. “It’s too cold here for me, I could use some company… And you can tell me about The Jedi.”

Obi-Wan blinked at her multiple times before smiling. “Thank you, Rey.”

 

Luke stepped onto the Falcon seeking Obi-Wan to share the next journal. It had been nearly a week since the displaced Jedi arrived on the planet and he’d already learned more about the Jedi and Obi-Wan as a person than Old Ben had ever taught him. This younger Kenobi had a fire that Old Ben always held behind his eyes, his tongue was quick, mind quicker, and despite his situation took things in stride. Rey had taken to him quickly, but Luke saw now that that may have not been a good thing. The two had far too much in common, making things more a risk of them butting heads more than getting along. Despite this they seemed to enjoy each other well enough.

“How are the conditions of Illium now?” Obi-Wan asked once Luke sat down.

“Illium was under the jurisdiction of The New Republic, but with what the First Order has done to the base system of the Republic…” Rey said, leaning forward against the table and over to Obi-Wan, knowing Luke wouldn’t have that information. “Why?”

“Well.” Obi-Wan closed the journal he had been skimming. “I seem to have left my lightsaber sixty years ago.” His voice was dry enough to make Rey giggle, despite the suggestion behind his words. “I would very much like to have one again, and if Rey would like to follow the path of the Jedi, she should make her own as well rather than carrying around Anakin’s old one.”

“Jedi is not a very safe thing to be in the galaxy right now.” Luke protested, narrowing his eyes at the two.

“Jedi has never been a safe thing to be in the galaxy. Bounty hunters in the lower levels of Coruscant, our home, would value a Jedi’s lightsaber as a token of strength, we tried to be peace keepers but more often than not fought in wars. We were trained from birth to know that someday we may die in service of the Order. The Obi-Wan you knew,” he stabbed a finder against the leather cover of the journal “fought against the dark until he was weakened, aged, and only hid to keep you safe until your time had come. Your time has already come now, just as your Obi-Wan’s had. Me, here, now, I’m still a knight, with years ahead of me I’m willing to fight for. The idea that we won’t be finished here, that we weren’t finished all those years ago now, is the only thing I have now.”

Only silence answered Obi-Wan’s words.

“I can’t sit and wait for the possibility that I can return home, and I can’t sit and waste away here. I want to mourn my friends, I want to honor what we fought for, I want to honor what you and your sister had fought for. I’m a Jedi. I will not sit and let Darkness run rampant across the galaxy.”

Luke sighed, looking at the table. “Rey… could you please leave us for a moment?”

“No.”

“Rey, please.”

“Anything you have to say to my master you can say to me.” Rey said firmly, leaving her at the receiving end of two sets of alarmed eyes.

“I am not your master, Rey! You’re not a padawan and I’m only a knight! I’m not ready to have a padawan!” Obi-Wan protested.

Rey simply shrugged. “I heard your voice. When I first touched Anakin’s lightsaber. You said that those were my first steps. It was you who set me on the path of the Jedi, and only you can keep me there.”

Obi-Wan could swear that he heard Yoda cackling at him in that moment.

Luke only sighed. “Fine.” He said, running a hand through his shaggy silvered hair. “Kylo Ren was once my apprentice. When he turned to the dark I had to hide all my other students… Many were killed by him and his… Knights of Ren. Jedi Killers they’re called, and they’re very good at their jobs. They’re good because I had trained them to be what they now hunt…”

There was silence in the bay for a moment before Obi-Wan answered him with a smile that wrapped hands around Luke’s heart and squeezed. “Then we will be the Jedi they weren’t trained to be, Luke. The fall of a padawan is not the fault of the Master.

“My master had a padawan before me… His name was Xanatos. He was trained from the crèche just as I was, and was incredibly gifted. Eventually he fell to the dark when he was tempted too much. He made the choice on his own to turn his blade on Qui-Gon.”

Rey rested a hand on Luke’s arm, squeezing gently. “I… Leia believes there is still good in him, Luke. A lot has happened, but we can’t risk the First Order taking over the Galaxy like the Empire did.”

Obi-Wan examined Rey carefully, eyes narrowed in thought. “Well…” Obi-Wan deflected, turning their attention again. “It seems like a trip to Illium will be in order. Traditionally Padawans are brought and sent alone to gather their own crystals but I have a feeling we will need to gather ones that we feel need to go with us. Follow what the Force tells you, find your crystal in the time we have, but if the force whispers about other crystals, even if they don’t feel like yours, try to bring them.”

“I have no idea what any of that means.” Rey said, looking to Luke in hopes he was as confused as she was.

“It means we should try to grab some winter clothing, Padawan Rey.” Luke said, leaning back in his chair. “Illium is cold.”

 

 

Illium was indeed cold, incredibly cold. Star Killer Base status cold. There was ice everywhere and almost no life and Rey hated it. Looking to her Master it seemed he disliked it just as much. Due to lack of credits and other basic necessities to trade, buy, or barter, only Luke had proper clothing for the Illium trip. Obi-Wan was wrapped in literal blankets held together with belts and strips of fabric where Rey had cannibalized one of Luke’s robes and a blanket.

“Luke, it’s up to you to make sure we return in time. You have the ability to break back into the caverns if they close on us.” Obi-Wan said, shedding one of the blankets and offering it to the old man. “Rey and I have until sunset to find crystals. We can stay here a few days if we need, but when the sun sets the cavern freezes shut. Try to remember your path, dearheart, because we will not be staying together. Follow the Force, and trust in your own strength.”

Rey could feel her eyes brimming with tears as Obi-Wan cupped her cheeks and pressed a paternal kiss to her forehead. “The caves have been open for a few hours now. I will warn you, Rey. The crystals will play tricks on you, they will test you. Have faith in your strength as I do.”

“And you say you weren’t ready for a padawan.” Luke’s dry voice came from behind them. “Go, before you run out of light. You both have at least one crystal to find.”

 

Rey lost track of Obi-Wan faster than she expected, and despite the echoing of her own footsteps through the caverns she couldn’t seem to hear anything from her wayward master even when she stood still. With a deep breath, she shook her head. “You knew you would be doing this alone, Rey. Don’t freak out… crystal… crystal… cr…” Looking around there were thousands of crystals around her. Hanging from the ceiling, sticking from the ground. Inside of the walls. They were everywhere.

“And I have to… find one for myself…?” The words echoed back at her, a taunting reminder of her task. “How will I find one out of thousands?”

 

It had been years since Obi-Wan had been inside Illium’s caves, and despite all the years that passed, all the crystals that had been taken, it almost seemed exactly the same as it did when he took his first steps into the caves, Qui-Gon watching as his back disappeared. That was such a distant time now, both for the crystals that whispered their amusement into the Force and for Obi-Wan himself.

After that first visit to Illium, Obi-Wan never had to return. He went to his brother-padawan Feemor who, despite his skill with lightsaber and tongue, chose to live seeking crystals and history and bringing them home to the temple. For years Feemor would appear after Obi-Wan had lost a lightsaber and challenge him with new crystals, swearing that they belonged to him and him alone. His last visit had been tearful and the two held each other, the elder thanking the younger for saving their master. The crystals in his new lightsaber weren’t perfect, and Feemor had apologized, knowing such. “I know they’re not perfect, they don’t answer to anyone properly, but they have the strength you need.”

Settling down to his knees, Obi-Wan reached out to the crystals, pleading for answer. It was as though they laughed at him, knowing how out of place he was. “Speak to me… let me find you…”

 

Rey followed her feet, knowing they would lead her as they always did. Walking through the sand until she found what she needed had trained her to trust her feet to lead her to whatever it was she needed. Even though it seemed that she was trying to find a specific grain of sand in the vast desert. Letting out a loud groan she threw her head back. This was impossible! That was when she heard it. The sound of a lightsaber igniting.

“Luke?” She called out, the echoing of the saber’s hum bouncing around her. Turning twice, she could not place the source. “Obi-Wan?”

“You feel that Han Solo is the father you never had…”

The words echoed around her, making Rey gasp, wishing greatly for her staff. Kylo Ren. She had entrusted Anakin’s lightsaber to Obi-Wan, knowing out of the two men he would be the wiser to pass it onto. How she wished she had kept it now. “Traitor!” The scream echoed so strongly some crystals lit and shook.

Clasping her hands over her ears, Rey looked around, unsure just what to do. If she ran she could run right into him! But if she stayed still… he would find her there was no doubt. Making an abrupt left turn, she ran. “Rey!”

She kept running.

 

_The sounds of lightning and lightsabers echoed through the dark cathedral, grunts of effort from the Jedi. Darkness pressed down on him, heavy and molten, muscles seizing up as he tried to fight with them. “Master!” Three voices, two directed at him._

_“I’m so proud of you both…”_

Obi-Wan’s eyes tore open, his meditation crumbling away from him. Looking around he realize he was standing, and in a completely different part of the caverns. “Oh I do hope I haven’t gotten myself lost.” He grumbled, opening his clenched hand, revealing three glowing crystals. They sang with rightness in his hand. Well at least there was that… Now he just needed to find his padawan and hopefully whatever that extra pressure was at the back of his head.

 

It was coming toward her; she could see it. As she ran, a clear space of the caverns revealed itself, forcing her to duck under the wall and slide in on her knees. It was pure light, colder than other corners of the caverns, but lighter not only in view, but in the Force. Two stones of ice sat beneath the opening in the cave’s ceiling, and within them she could see four crystals, two per stone. A choice.

“The Force will guide you…” Obi-Wan’s voice echoed, older than how he was now, overlaid with a hint of grief, pain beyond age.

“But… how will I know?”

“Sit, young one. Close your eyes, breathe…” There was a pause as Rey obeyed the voice echoing around her. “Breathe… just breathe… now listen.”

And she tried, she tried and struggled and let out a groan. Listen? To what!? Why could she hear the voices of people she knew but was unable to hear whatever the stupid crystals had to say?! Dropping back onto the hard stone beneath her, she threw an arm over her eyes.

She breathed.

 

“What do you hear?”

“…Light… so much light… and darkness… Always yielding to the light…” Her eyes flew open, revealing her master, standing in the now shifted ray of light, like some sort of animal trying to absorb warmth from the light found there. “They’re Finn’s… Finn is Force sensitive…”

Obi-Wan simply nodded back to her, even though she knew he had no idea who Finn was beyond what Rey had told him. “We needed to find more than our own crystals, dearheart. I didn’t know why, but now I do. There are more Jedi we need to bring to the light. Your friend Finn has potential that the Force wants to see bloom. There is one more… though I don’t know who they belong to.” He admitted, placing a protective hand over one of two small satchels that he had made from a strip of one of Luke’s cloaks.

Rey looked over to the stones of ice, now harder and hiding the crystals inside of them with the light now turned away. “How will I get them out of there..?”

Obi-Wan hummed, shrugged, and handed her Anakin’s lightsaber. “We don’t exactly have enough time to just wait to see if we can bludgeon it open when the sun is on it.” He said, smiling at Rey’s aghast expression.

“What you’ve told me about your Jedi… They would have maimed you for this.” She teased, taking the lightsaber and igniting it.

“Ah yes, but my Master would be so proud.”

 

Luke looked up from where he had been glaring and shivering, not wanting to retire to the ship for warmth in case the Wayward Master and his stubborn padawan should return with need of him. “You two look accomplished.” He said dryly as they ducked under where the wall of ice had dropped to.

“Frozen you mean.” Rey grumbled.

“Yes, I agree. I believe we’re in need of a good thawing.” Obi-Wan teased, a proud hand resting on Rey’s shoulder.

Once they were back in the Falcon and returning to Orbit, Luke leaned against the co-pilot’s chair where Rey sat. “So… where are we going?”

“We need the tech to build the sabers. Where would we find that sort of thing?” Obi-Wan asked, crossing his legs.

 

Rey simply blinked up to Luke who hummed. “So, we need power cells and casting. Everything else can be cannibalized from almost any other piece of tech…” Luke hummed.

Obi-Wan looked into the darkness outside the viewport. “Ossus…”

“We won’t find any power cells there.” Luke went to protest, pausing half way. “Though… We may find what we need for casting… Most of everything was destroyed but when I found Ood Bnar there… He was protecting lightsabers and their parts. I never went there out of respect for him, but…”

“Ood Bnar died in the cataclysm! Are you telling me he was still alive after literally over a thousand years?” Obi-Wan squawked indignantly.

“Hibernation trance.” Luke supplied, shrugging at Obi-Wan’s quiet “huh”.

“Ok, what are we talking about?” Rey protested, crossing her arms. “I’m sick of being lost in these conversations.”

“Ossus was the largest Jedi library in the Galaxy. Thousands of Jedi could be found there at any time and was more or less destroyed in the cataclysm during the Great Sith War. It was thought nothing survived, but during my time many of our historians went to the ruins on Ossus and searched for lost information and artifacts.” Obi-Wan explained, giving Luke a curious look. “And you’re saying Ood Bnar survived?”

“There were actually many who survived, they went on the create a whole native species on the planet in it’s newer atmosphere. It’s been years since I’d been back, but I’m sure there might be something we can use in those ruins Ood Bnar was guarding.”

"Who the hell is Ood Bnar?" Rey lead, an irritated tone lacing her voice.

"An ancient Neti Jedi. Plant based physeology." Obi-Wan explained with a wave of his hand. “Well. I guess we’re going to Ossus. Set our course to the Adegan System, padawan.”  He had never been to Ossus, only heard from Feemor about it's climate, the lack of people, the silence, the sense of waiting. He didn't know when, or if he would ever make it home... but for now... at least he was giving himself a purpose.


	3. Ossus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...what is love, Master Skywalker? Is it more than just attachment? It’s a hard balance in the Order, our Love needs to be defined in different ways. What would you do for your partner? Would you kill, would you die? Would you disobey orders and put innocent lives at risk? That’s a risk that the Order sees in attachment and love, but a Jedi needs to love to be able to do our job. So tell me then, how would one be able to both weigh our love in the eyes of the Order? With those contradictions, what do we need to do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for putting up with how long this took to get done. I've had a lot going on including a new job and lowkey moving in with my partner. I hope you all enjoy this and hopefully it won't be too long until my next update.

It was no quick jump from Illium to Ossus, hours of hyperspace sitting towards the three to four cycle range, leaving the wayward and reluctant masters and stubborn padawan with nothing to do but wait. Wait and dance around each other. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but notice the odd way Luke looked at him at times, as though he had a million questions and twenty secrets he wanted to share. Rey was already losing her mind to cabin fever, and had taken her master’s instruction on meditation. Hours of work in teaching her the basic steps finally paid off when her bond with Obi-Wan stopped jabbering irritation and rested into a peaceful meditation.

Which is what lead Obi-Wan to sitting in the main hold of the Falcon, five crystals floating around his head as he meditated. He still wondered to whom the final two crystals belonged. Opening his eyes, the two floated before him, catching the artificial light and whispered their waiting. It was not time yet, it would be far from now, but not too long. The Force whispered contradictions into his mind, of light and dark, love and fear. “Here you are.” Luke’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, the crystals dropping into his waiting hands.

“Here I am. Have you been looking for me, Master Luke?” Obi-Wan asked, not turning to look at the older Jedi. It was hard to think of Luke as anything other than older than himself, even though he was apparently much older than the Jedi behind him.

Obi-Wan’s question was only met with silence before he could track the sounds of Luke’s worn boots as they brought him to Obi-Wan’s side. Luke sat, silent and unsure, Obi-Wan could feel it slipping through those shields like sand through a clenched fist. “For some time I’ve rejected that title, Master Kenobi.” Luke answered back, smiling slightly at Obi-Wan’s chuckle.

“There is no changing who you are Luke. You are the same sort of broken Jedi you’ve had me read about. The same sort of Broken Jedi I’ve trained under.” Obi-Wan looked to him, still smiling.

Luke simply blinked back, a sort of curious youthful light to his expression. “Tell me about your Master. Y- Ben never told me much beyond what’s in the Journals.”

“You’re getting better at separating Old Ben and myself.” Obi-Wan considered Luke with a soft expression. The Master was not only genuinely curious, there was something else there. A longing that had been seeded in Luke’s heart for years, the sort of longing Obi-Wan recognized in himself. Looking away and back to the crystals in his hand, Obi-Wan smiled. “Qui-Gon Jinn is a great Jedi, and an even greater man.

“He was raised from the crèche, but not as young as I had been. I had been brought to the Order by my father Cleigg and mother Aika as an infant, I knew them in passing, when I attended my mother’s funeral and I visit them rather recently for my brother Owen’s birthday…”

“Owen? Cleigg? Was their last name Lars?” Luke sputtered out at this information, eyes wide.

Obi-Wan looked to Luke and smiled. “Yes. The Owen Lars who raised you was my brother by blood. I don’t know the man he became in your time, but my Owen is a stubborn little boy who would rather help our Father on the farm than go to his classes.” Obi-Wan watched a ghost of a smile cross Luke’s face, a smile that spoke of grief as there was no doubt Owen Lars was dead now in some way.

“But my Master… he was already old enough to speak when he had been brought to the temple, having been found on search. He was taken as a Padawan by Master Dooku of Sereno, it was during that time he met his best friends Tahl and Micah. Tahl is… beautiful, smart, strong enough to bring whole planets to their knees if she wanted to. She was not only a good friend to Qui-Gon, she was a friend to me as well and trained one of my closest friends. Micah also trained my best friend, it was as though the six of us would be always connected… I’m rambling let’s get back to topic.” Obi-Wan chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It sounds like you were all very close.” Luke said, a smile on his face. This was the Obi-Wan Kenobi Luke would never have had a chance to know, and the information he learned now was more than enough to make him content.

“We are… well…” Obi-Wan took a breath and looked to Luke. “When I turned thirteen I was still unchosen as a padawan, which meant  I was sent to the AgriCorps, not to become a Jedi.”

“What.”

“Indeed.” Obi-Wan simply chuckled. “Well, I honestly owe everything to Xanatos, Qui-Gon’s second padawan. He was very unhappy with my Master you see, Qui-Gon had to kill Xanatos’ father to save another Jedi. Xanatos witnessed this and he turned against the Jedi. Qui-Gon chased Xanatos to where I was stationed with the AgriCorps and nearly died there had I not intervened. I was willing to die for the Jedi, even though I was never to become one. I wasn’t so much taken as a padawan as followed him against his will.

“But Qui-Gon managed to bring me back to the Temple as his padawan, griped at the Council until they accepted his choice. I’m not nearly a perfect Jedi, I was a padawan with a black track record, and despite how hard things were between Qui-Gon and myself I knew we were still close. We went on many missions together, and with my Master in as high demand as he was we were rarely back in temple. I was kept busy with him, yet rarely neglected.

“When Micah and Tahl bonded it was as though we became more of a family, I don’t think I’d ever seen Qui-Gon that happy. He told me that they had been in love with each other since they were children, it was about time they got their heads out their asses. I still continued with my spotty track record, and more than once found myself under the supervision of Micah and Tahl while the council would not allow me to go on missions with my Master…”

“From what I’d heard… The council swore against attachments, how did Micah and Tahl bond? Is that anything like a marriage?” Luke questioned, a sort of haunted expression on his face.

Obi-Wan chose to smile in the face of that sorrow. “I remember that fight vividly. A Soul Bond is very much like a marriage, though more in a way. It’s a true connection between two Jedi in mind and soul, it combined their life forces as well. If one Jedi in a soulbond were to die, the other would need serious therapy and recovery to not pass as well.

“When Micah and Tahl requested to soul bond to the council it was a prime example of what I like to call “The Jinn Effect”. No one baited or argued with the council like my Master did. He’s known as a Maverick for a reason. He sometimes manages to push his friends, padawans, and even other peers into pushing back at the Council, when they insist something must be done one way Qui-Gon Jinn likes to push and insist it can be done another way. It used to drive me up the wall.

“But I learned the day they argued for their right to bond that sometimes it’s what the Council wants. They want Jedi to push for what they know is right. Yes, they preach against attachment, but what is love, Master Skywalker? Is it more than just attachment? It’s a hard balance in the Order, our Love needs to be defined in different ways. What would you do for your partner? Would you kill, would you die? Would you disobey orders and put innocent lives at risk? That’s a risk that the Order sees in attachment and love, but a Jedi needs to love to be able to do our job. So tell me then, how would one be able to both weigh our love in the eyes of the Order? With those contradictions, what do we need to do?”

Luke looked at Obi-Wan for a long minute before realizing that Obi-Wan had not just been narrating his own thoughts, but genuinely asking him. What did Jedi do, what could they do? “I… I don’t know.” Luke agreed. “I’ve admittedly walked out of my training and went right into a trap to try and save Han and Leia… Some Jedi I was.” He teased, smiling to Obi-Wan, who simply returned the smile.

“I once completely left the Jedi order to fight with child soldiers because the Order demanded we leave things be and I couldn’t. I was fifteen. We’re not too different, Luke. But this is where we must put things into perspective, and hindsight is always the clearest. Now I see… Our Order was too controlled by the Senate. They told us when and where to go, told us what we needed to do, left too little up to our training…. But back to the topic at hand.” Obi-Wan chuckled, resting his hands on his knees.

“We Jedi love to an extreme, all things that exist we inherently love, it’s what is given to us from the Force. Within the Living and Unifying Force we not only can see the life in everything, but feel it as well. If you sit and meditate somewhere full and yet seemingly devoid of life, you can feel every living thing within the force. The way each blade of grass reaches toward the light the same way we do, each insect bent on its purpose of spreading life between each flora. That’s what makes us Jedi, the fact we feel all these and want to protect them.

“Now when it comes to personal relationships, we have a duty to that overwhelming love of everything living, not just a single person. That’s why it’s extremely rare for Jedi to bond with a non-Jedi, because we hold that duty and if we must risk leaving our partner in a place alone for the greater good we not only are obligated to do so, we must love and trust our partner enough to take care of themselves. That’s the hardest part of love. The ability and need to trust your partner as well as wish to protect and take care of them. That’s why they preach against attachment, yet support the endeavor of Love.”

Luke blinked a few times at Obi-Wan before nodding and looking down. “Now, I’m not saying that we don’t still slip up, but we still can listen to the Force and look to it for guidance. It’s in those moments where we’re too afraid and about to act on instinct that we should look to the force for guidance, that is also what makes us Jedi. My Master went to fight a Sith alone, and I knew he would die if he did. Watching him there, moments from making not only his worst but final decision, I looked into the Force, begged it for help, guidance. I could save that stupid, stubborn man, and I begged the Force to show me how. And it did. I cannot say if it were a mistake to act selfishly, but in that moment either the Sith would face me alone and we would risk a higher chance of a Sith remaining loose in the Galaxy, and we came out with two Jedi alive and two separate deceased parts of a Sith.”

“Why did your Master insist on fighting the Sith alone?”

“I… I don’t know. I never had the chance to ask him, and when I did it just… didn’t seem to be the right time. I was knighted after that, he took Anakin as a padawan and I went on a mission the moment we all left Naboo. I’d seen them in passing in the Temple while I’d been there between missions, but I suppose it’s been a missed chance.”

Luke watched as Obi-Wan slowly deflated, suddenly then it all came together. Obi-Wan… was in love with his Master Qui-Gon Jinn… and he may never see him again. “I don’t believe that’s true.” Luke said, shifting back slightly. “The Force brought you here somehow and for some reason. I have no doubts that it will take you back as well.”

Obi-Wan answered the statement with a smile, though it did not quite reach his eyes. “I suppose… but if this is my physical form here… I doubt I’ll be returning the same Jedi I was when I left, and Force knows where in the Galaxy the Force will choose to drop me. I could wake up in some pit on Lothal for all I know, in the Murder Temple or something worse.” He mused, shaking his head. “I’m not sure if it’s worth the energy to hope.”

Luke looked from Obi-Wan to the figure who had been standing in the doorway for the last few minutes. “Rey, plot a drop from Hyperspace in the Gordian Reach. It’s between here and the Adegan System, maybe only a few hours out from where we are now.”

“Why?” She asked, voice oddly quiet.

“I have something to show you both, something we built on Yavin after the battle… Something lost from the Rebellion’s history.”

Yavin 4 was… well it was damp. Not nearly as damp as Luke’s island had been, but still damp, as any moon covered in forests would be. The old Rebellion base was covered in vines and trees now, years of no use and only basic preservation keeping it only minorly infested with the flora and fauna of the moon. “I remember when this was being erected…” Luke said, leading them through the echoing and abandoned base. Small parts of ships and electronics still littered corners of the base, things that couldn’t be evacuated as quickly as the rebels had to. “I felt that even though we had destroyed the Death Star something was still off… I was still mourning Ben, mourning Allderan and all the destruction the Death Star had already created… but I didn’t know the entirety of what had been done, who had been hurt, who had died.”

That was when they saw it, a wall of stone and durasteel, covered in vines. Luke reached up and tugged them down, revealing renders of five humanoids. “Rogue One”

“Who were they?” Rey whispered, knowing a memorial when she saw one.

“Jyn Erso; Daughter of Gaylen and Lyra Erso. Cassian Andor; Rebellion Information Officer. Bodhi Rhook; Rebellion Pilot. Chirrut Imwe; Guardian of the Whills. Baze Malbus; Guardian of the Whills…” Obi-Wan read their names, feeling a heaviness building up in his chest.

“They are the ones who recovered the Death Star plans from Scarif. The Death Star was already operational and leveled a city on Jedah, then was used again to level the information storage on Scarif. The plans made it out. The rebels on the ground did not.” Luke explained, dusting the words carved into stone above the list of names. “Rebellions are built on Hope.” He echoed the words, smiling. “They did what they needed to, and though they died it was not a waste. The plans got through, the Death Star was destroyed, and eventually so was the Empire. Part of me will always wish I could have known them… Leia had met Cassian once or twice on missions, but never really knew him. He apparently admired Bail greatly though.”

Obi-Wan chuckled and smiled at the render of Cassian’s bust. “Bail Organa is a man who can be admired. He and I are… were good friends… It’s odd now, thinking of the people who to you are greats of the Rebellion as the young men and women they are to me.”

Rey stared long at the woman who’s bust render showed the stubborn hope she held. “Apparently Jyn was raised within the more radical corners of the rebellion, and was taken from an Imperial prison when the Rebellion reached out to her.” Luke told Rey, noting how closely she examined the woman’s face.

“What does “Guardian of the Whills” mean?” Rey asked, looking to the renders of the older men.

“It’s a title given to the monks who keep watch of the Kyber crystals on Jedah.” Obi-Wan said, turning his eyes to the two men. Something about them whispered familiarity, and he swore he could hear a voice trying to whisper something to him. “They are Force Sensitive, but not Jedi, they choose rather to assist Jedi and keep a quiet life within the Jedah temple.”

“The temple on Jedah had been taken by the Empire, and they had been stealing Kyber crystals from the temple and killing anyone who got in the way. Chirrut and Baze were two of the old Monks, though it seemed Baze believed less than Chirrut, who also seemed to be the human equivalent of the phrase “hold my brew”” Luke said, letting their chuckles fill the air and bask in them.

“Sometimes… Obi-Wan… all we have is Hope. That’s all we can have when there’s nothing else to hold onto.” Luke continued, letting out a soft sigh. “That’s why I brought you here… because these five remind me to hope even in my darkest time… I hadn’t thought of them in some time honestly.” He admitted, smiling and shaking his head.

“When we’ve finished our lightsabers” Rey spoke up, looking to Luke. “will you be returning with us to the Resistance?”

Luke remained silent for a moment before looking to Jyn’s face and the words above it. “I… made a mistake running all those years ago. Maybe… If I hadn’t we wouldn’t find ourselves in the situation the Galaxy is in now-“ He raised his hand to silence Obi-Wan before he even spoke his protests. “I think now it’s time I answer for my actions, as much as I can.” He said, looking again to Rey. “I will come back with you, Padawan Rey.”

Rey smiled, a silent, content sort of smile rather than the victory Luke expected, though he knew just how heavy and important these moments were, and she was just as force sensitive as he was. “I would like to meditate here for a moment…” Obi-Wan said, looking to his padawan. “You were a scavenger, Rey. See if any of the parts across the base will be useful for us in making our lightsabers. Brackets, small power cells. Trust the Force, it guides all things.”

“Yes, Master.” She answered, smiling, and while any Padawan Obi-Wan knew would have bowed Rey simply wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll meet you at the ship.” Pulling away, Rey smiled at her Master, seeming now years younger than she had previously, resulting in a paternal kiss on her forehead again.

“Yes, dearheart.”

_“I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me”_ Chirrut’s voice finally reached him, an echo of his presence in Obi-Wan’s mind. “You’re very far from home, Jedi.”

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but smile. “That I am.”

“Don’t worry, time and reality are in no way as firmly set as we all were lead to believe. You will return home, though you will not be the same.” The man who suddenly sat cross legged across from him was no longer the older Monk Obi-Wan saw on the memorial. He was younger, long black hair tied in a high ponytail, the lines of stress gone from his face, and eyes a deep rich brown, though it was difficult to be sure through the blue haze that covered his whole being.

“I don’t know why, but I believed you had been blind.”

“Oh I was, but I had not been born that way. I lost my vision when the Empire tried to take the Temple the first time. It was the third time that they succeeded. Baze took me from the temple, despite my protests. That’s how we survived. We knew the fate of the Jedi long before then, but still held hope for the Light.” Chirrut continued, smiling still. “It had been many years since we saw Jedi, when you get home… come to Jedah. I will be young, as will my husband. There are things in the temple that must find their way to Coruscant, and I’d rather someone who knows come to retrieve them.”

“You seem rather sure that I’ll be returning to my own time.”

“I did only say that about three times, yes.” Chirrut said dryly, looking over Obi-Wan again. “You have much to do before then, Jedi Kenobi. I will leave you to that then.”

Obi-Wan watched Chirrut fade out like he never were and blinked up to where Luke stood in the doorway. “Am I crazy?”

“First Force ghost, huh?” Luke asked, smiling and walking over to Obi-Wan. “It’s always a little jarring the first time. You were my first Force ghost, and about as helpful as Chirrut seemed to be. Come on, I think your scavenger has found a few things for you.”

And Luke had been right. Rey had found a few things for them, a handful of power cells, some wires, and an odd pipe that had likely been broken off an X-Wing. “It seems like you may be a bit ahead of the game, dearheart. Why the pipe?”

Rey simply shrugged, turning it over in her hands. “I’m not sure. It’s way too big to be a lightsaber hilt, at least for me, but the Force wanted me to take it.”

Obi-Wan simply smiled and shrugged. “Who knows, dearheart. We do apparently have a Jedi yet for us to find, it may be for them.” He said, resting a hand on her shoulder and leading her into the Falcon.

Rey was thankful for the break out of hyperspace, getting to see all the green life on Yavin was a much-needed break from the cold darkness of space. Ossus though? Obi-Wan had told her that once it had been full of life, both Jedi, non-Jedi, and plant life, now it seemed more literal rock than anything. Barren mountains hid the once great Library, it’s faded stone façade blending all too well. “What happened to Ood Bnar after you found him and woke him?” Obi-Wan asked, holding himself in a way that suggested he felt underdressed, not that she doubted that he did. He still wore mostly the undertunics of the medical ward he claimed he had been in before waking in the Falcon. Luke had offered one of his dirty white cloaks, but for some reason it didn’t seem quite right for the young Master. He still seemed to be missing something.

“Well, he saved us. He battled with a dark force sensitive and they both fell…” Luke admitted, leading them around the ruins of the library.

“How are we going to find what he was guarding then? Like, if he’s not there?” Rey asked, looking around them not realizing how Obi-Wan was doing the same.

“He left behind a sapling.”

“Wait.” Obi-Wan stopped, making Rey bump into his back obviously. “He left behind a sapling? That sapling was a child, an immature Neti. There is still a living Neti in the galaxy.”

“Living is a more…” Luke waved his hand in a circle, trying to locate the right word. “general term here. The sapling was still in it’s own form of hibernation. It’s best to not move something like that.”

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes hard enough Rey thought he might have been able to see his own brain. “You’re missing the point, Luke. Even in my time Neti are considered extinct. There’s still a living Neti here, now. One that’s likely Force Sensitive at that. That’s… well it’s amazing.”

Luke blinked a few times before smiling and nodded. “Yes… Yes I suppose it is actually…”

“So… what is a Neti exactly?” Rey questioned, stretching and cracking her back.

“They’re a shape-shifting plant-based lifeform.” Obi-Wan explained, looking again to Luke. “Come on, it’s time we meet little Bnar.”

They hiked for about an hour until they reached what looked like a small tree in front of a cracked stone door. As they approached, the tree twisted toward them, stretching upward and widening out. Roots lifted from the dirt and twisting into a bipedal form. Blue eyes blinked up at them. “Oh.” Luke said over Rey’s gasp.

“Hello, Little Bnar.” Obi-Wan said, kneeling down to the Neti and watching as it blinked at him, processing memories it didn’t quite understand, trying to remember echoes of the language Ood once knew. Words did not come, but the shape of hands reached out toward Obi-Wan, and the young Master could feel the way the Neti reached out to him in the Force.

Lowering his shields, Obi-Wan let the little Neti seek like he would to any nonverbal Force sensitive child on Search. It didn’t take long for the Neti to curl himself around Obi-Wan and rest on his back like Yoda had done many times while Obi-Wan had been an unruly padawan. “Ah, well then, Little Bnar. Would you like to come with us?”

Obi-Wan could feel the agreement coming from the young Neti though their small bond, and smiled. “Well, it looks like we have yet another acquisition.” Obi-Wan said, looking to Luke and Rey. The little Neti looking to Luke for a long moment before his eyes seeming to light up. “He recognizes you, Luke. It seems he has some of Ood’s memories. Not enough to fully comprehend or be Ood Bnar, but enough to survive. They’ll probably fade once he begins to develop for himself… Which I can’t exactly help him with.”

Rey walked up to her Master and smiled at the Neti. “Hello there.” She said, amazed at the idea of a sentient plant. Brilliant! She didn’t know there could be so much green in the galaxy let alone green that was also a people! “My name is Rey.”

The little Neti opened it’s mouth, letting out a simple trilling noise that made Rey giggle. “I think he needs to come with us. The Resistance base isn’t exactly the place for younglings but… I feel like Leia can be of some help with him at least.”

“He’s coming with us regardless, unless the natives here would like to take him in.” Obi-Wan said, looking to Luke, who shrugged.

“The Yassana are Force sensitive. I feel that if they would like to take him they could take care of him until he can choose for himself what to do.” Luke said, eyes jumping from Obi-Wan to the Neti as the youngling’s eyes darted to him as he spoke.

Obi-Wan simply hummed, listening to the Force as it fluctuated around the Little Bnar. “We’ll try that, it seems he’s very smart, I think he’ll have a grasp of basic soon. We’re pushing the memories he has of language; I’m almost getting words through our temporary bond.

“But we are here for a reason. Let’s try to find some lightsabers and see what we can do.”

As they stepped through the cracked stone and durasteel door, Ood clung closer to Obi-Wan, little blue eyes darting around, trying to adjust to the darkness. Hand going to Anakin’s old Lightsaber, Obi-Wan ignite the blade, blue light casting across the walls and floor, before long the green of Luke’s lightsaber illuminated more of the… tunnel. “Well, it seems we have more walking to do.”

 

Their steps echoed around them, bouncing back over the hum of lightsabers, Rey’s fingers brushed the wall and came away dark. “There's soot on the wall. Like from a fire.”

“The cataclysm likely affected even this tunnel.” Obi-Wan said, reaching out himself to brush fingers across the black wall. “But this may mean the cave isn't that far off.”

“I sense something ahead.” Luke said, voice like gravel with the added echo. “Someone is in here.”

Silence followed his words before Obi-Wan gave a sigh. “Well, let's find out who else is here. Rey, please take little Bnar.” He said, kneeling down enough that the sapling could crawl off his back and blink up to the padawan before them.

“Come up, little one.” Rey said, leaning down and opening her arms to the Neti, looking forward into the waiting dark as they climbed into her arms.

The remainder of the walk was tense and quiet, the hum of lightsabers still a warning to whoever waited. What they saw, however, brought a choked noise from Obi-Wan’s throat.

“Master?”

“Obi-Wan.”

Qui-Gon Jinn’s force ghost stood tall, looking at the group with an unreadable expression. “Wait, what's going on?” Rey bit out, looking between the living Jedi ahead of her and the blue glowing figure before them.

Luke stepped back to her side, forcing himself to look away from the longing in Obi-Wan’s face. “This is a force ghost, Rey. Obi-Wan seems to be very popular lately.”

Rey continued to simply stare at the blur figure, who seemed to look only at Obi-Wan. “You're not supposed to be here, my wayward padawan.” Qui-Gon smiled, though his voice was full of grief.

“You're the second force ghost to tell me this, Master.” Obi-Wan’s tone was dry, but his voice was still damp with longing. 

“Yes, I did hear that Chirrut got to you before I did. He's very straightforward about things.”

“He was actually much more vague than that.” 

Silence overcame the group, only the sound of Little Bnar’s whines echoing in the cavern. 

“What have you come here for Master?” Obi-Wan asked, voice clearly tight around the words. 

“Is Anakin Skywalker not your padawan?” 

“He is not.” 

Obi-Wan’s answer was met with even more silence, and Rey was officially sick of the whole Force Ghost nonsense. “What does that have to do with anything?” She asked, shoulders set in the face of the gaze Qui-Gon Jinn leveled at her. 

“Dear Padawan Rey, it has everything to do with this.” Qui-Gon said, looking again to Obi-Wan. “You have always been the Master, Obi-Wan. The Force has chosen you to be the Master of the One. It seems that because you are not Anakin’s Master in your own time, the Force saw fit to make sure you do your job.”

Rey watched Obi-Wan’s face turn incredulous, not even bothering to hide his distaste of that idea. “You’re telling me that because I saved your life and Anakin is going to be trained by an actual Jedi Master that the Force has chosen to punish me and physically drag me from my timeline after an injury?”

“Punish you? Obi-Wan, is this truly a punishment? You have a padawan here who will be just as much work as Anakin if not more, a cause here just as you will have to face in your time-”

“Forgive me, Master. But I want to go home.” Obi-Wan interrupted, and Rey couldn’t help but look away from the pained expression on her Master’s face. “A padawan? A cause? I’ve only been knighted for less than a year, I don’t have the experience to train Rey.”

“Padawan, I know you well, That will not stop you. Do not lose hope, Obi-Wan. You will return home, but you have a duty.” And with that, Qui-Gon Jinn faded from their collective view.

The acrid taste of anger bubbled up into Obi-Wan’s throat begging to be released, but rather than let out the anger he let the Force take it, the pain and anger sliding from his body like rain. “We have to find what we’re looking for.” 

There was a moment of silence following Obi-Wan’s words before their eyes focussed to the darkness properly, revealing stacks of old chests. “I believe we already have, Master.” 

The chests were bound in some sort of leather, dry and cracked from years of stagnant air and lack of use, but they opened without a single creak. Lightsabers. “They’re… full of lightsabers.” Rey said, looking to her Master with a smile. “Exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

Obi-Wan nodded in reply, reaching out and picking up one of the sabers. Once his fingers wrapped around the metal he could hear it.  _ “Andur! Andur! He’s dead! You’ve killed my husband!” “Nomi, you must pick up my lightsaber, save yourself. Save Vima.” _

“Nomi? Nomi Sunrider?” Obi-Wan whispered, though his voice still echoed back loudly to him. Thumbing the ignition, the lightsaber hissed to life, flickering green before disengaging again. 

“I once heard the story of the Sunrider clan.” Luke said, stepping up to Obi-Wan’s side. “This must have been one of the lightsabers that she used.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No it… it seems like more than that. I can’t believe I’m holding relics of the Sunrider clan…”

Rey stepped up and looked to the simple hilt in her master’s hand. “How old are these?” 

“This one must be from before the first Great Sith War. Are they all full of sabers?” Obi-Wan asked, eyes drawn to where Luke opened another chest.

Reaching into the chest, Luke pulled out cloth with a curious expression. “Clothes, they’re just as perfectly preserved… if a little musty. There must be a force seal on the chests that kept everything so perfect.” He said, looking to Obi-Wan as the Master stepped toward him. 

“The historians in the Temple would lose their minds over this.” Obi-Wan said, pulling out a tunic from the chest. “While I shouldn’t abuse this historical find… the prospect of actual clothing is very tempting.”

“If I may, Master.” Rey spoke up, a lightsaber resting in her hand as though it had always been there. “Right now there are no Jedi historians, nothing safe for Jedi history. If you do not use them they will just stay here locked away again. There is no abuse of History. They’re clothes, clothes for Jedi, and you’re… well you’re a Jedi in very much need of real clothing.”

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded. “Yes, Padawan. You are right..”

“Well, I believe I’ve found everything I’ve come looking for.” She continued, lifting the saber as example. “It won’t hurt to grab a few others just in case, but I think I’m good to leave the cave with Little Bnar and… wait.”

Looking around Rey’s eyes widened. “Where’s little Bnar?”

“You must have put him down while looking for the lightsaber. Little ones run off when left alone.” Luke said, letting out a small huff. “Let’s go find him. Obi-Wan… get dressed in the meantime.”

Obi-Wan watched as the pair disappeared and let out a heavy sigh. First the displacement, then the padawan, force ghosts and time traveling tunics and weapons and now a lost Neti youngling… Looking to the Sunrider lightsaber in his hand he sighed again before setting it down. Hopefully there had been some Jedi all those years ago who had his stature…

 

“Bnar! Little Bnar! Lost little Neti…” Rey called again, trying still to find the small living plant… Boy? Was it a boy? Did Neti have genders? “Bnar!”

“Rey, please, do stop yelling.” Luke said, stepping around a boulder. “You’re just attracting attention.”  
“Yeah, hopefully the little Neti’s attention.” Rey grumbled, kicking over a rock. “Where could the little brat have gone?”

“Well that’s not very nice.” Obi-Wan’s voice came from the mouth of the cave, the small Neti on his hip. The tunics he wore were what Rey had always imagined of Jedi. Brown leather arm bracers over classic white tunics, dark brown undertunic and leggings tucked into nearly black boots, over tabbards a combination of leather and… maybe synth cotton, or with the age of the clothing real cotton. Green and brown framed in lines of yellow, making his eyes more green than blue, Neti on his hip blinking wide dark eyes at them, lightsaber hanging from belt on brown obi, there was no question Rey was looking at a Jedi. Glancing between her master and Luke, she suddenly felt out of place. There was no doubt the two men were Jedi, but her? 

“What’s wrong, Rey?” Obi-Wan questioned, stepping forward to his padawan. “Little Bnar here was digging into another chest out of our sight, he was safe with me all along.”

“It’s not that Master, though I am glad our little Neti is safe.” Rey said, reaching out to scratch the bottom of Bnar’s chin, smiling at the trilling giggle she received. “You just look… very much like a Jedi. You and Master Luke.”

“And you feel that you do not?” Obi-Wan questioned, brow raised.

Under his gaze, Rey huffed, looking away. “Well it’s not-”

“Rey, a Jedi is a Jedi regardless of what they look like. A Jedi is not a human in tunics and a lightsaber, a Jedi can be a Rodian in pilots leather, a Mon Cala in healers robes, a young woman in clothing made by a friend.” Obi-Wan said, reaching out to tug on a loose hair that fell from his padawan’s buns. “Though, I feel you might be ready for a padawan braid, to mark your status.”

Rey looked to her Master again, blinking in thought. “Most stories I’ve heard of Jedi… they’ve been about humanoid males.”

“That’s because Palpatine was historically xenophobic and sexist.” Luke said dryly. “Even his anti-jedi propaganda was humanoid centric and it was all many people had for years with the real history of the Order destroyed. Leia knew some of the survivors of 66, especially a fantastic Jedi Togruta.” 

Obi-Wan smiled, though there was a heaviness in his chest. How had their history become so changed? Many of their strongest weren’t humans, and many who were were women… “The amount of humans in the Order are only a third of our actual force, though our numbers are nowhere near as high as they had once been.”

Rey nodded, looking between the men and the eyes of the tired Neti youngling. “I think… it’s time for us to get back to the ship, or at least find somewhere for little Bnar.” The Neti chose that time to let out a loud yawn, proving Rey’s statement.

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded. “I do believe you’re right. Luke, help me close the cave?” 

Luke nodded, waiting for Obi-Wan to hand off the little Neti to Rey before the pair moved toward the cave again. With a firm force push, the stone rolled back into place, firmly sealing the cave. 

It wasn’t moments after the cave shut that what seemed a dozen footfalls echoed around them. Turning, Obi-Wan saw wooden masks covering faces, and the flair of force strength. The Ysanna.

Obi-Wan was prepared for some sort of fight, but the moment one laid eyes on Luke, his mask lifted. An older Ysanna, lines of age carved into dark skin, smiled. “Luke! Luke Skywalker!”

“Kria?” Luke blinked before laughing. “By the Force I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again.”

“Nor did I, Skywalker.” Kria said, pulling Luke into a hug. “What brings you back to Ossus?”

Luke glanced to Obi-Wan then to Rey and the little Neti. “We originally came seeking our history, but found something a little out of our depth at the moment. Do you recall the battle with the Empire here? When the old Neti Jedi woke and saved us?”

Kria blinked twice at the small tree like youngling before grinning. “You’re joking.”

“No, actually. He left behind a sapling, which has apparently matured enough to be considered a youngling. We were actually hoping to find you and possibly see if you would be willing to take in the youngling until he has matured enough to choose a path?” Luke said, glancing to where the Neti pulled at Rey’s hair, making the Padawan scowl.

“There’s something brewing out there again.” 

“Yes…” Luke confirmed with a frown. “I can’t risk the last Neti in the galaxy by pulling him into a war.”

“You’ve already risked the Neti.” Another Ysanna spoke up, her mask still on and hair tied up in intricate knots. “Your ship is recognizable, you’re likely already being followed.”

“Which is why we want him to stay safe and soon so we don’t have to stay longer than necessary.” Obi-Wan said, stepping towards his padawan and the youngling. “The longer we can keep our younglings from the brunt of the war the better, but it does not stop the fact there is one.”

“We will take the youngling, Jedi. Teach him our ways, the basics of the Force that we use, and when the time comes we will let him make his own choices.” 

“Thank you Kria.” Luke said, watching the anging Ysanna step up to Rey, reaching out in a silent request for the youngling. Rey handed little Bnar over, smiling at his quiet cry. 

“What is his name?” Kria asked, looking to the large brown eyes gazing up at him.

“We’ve been calling him “Little Bnar” but he deserves his own name.” Rey said, glancing up to Kria. “I hope he can find that with you.”

There was a moment of heavy silence between the pair before Kria nodded. “Yes, Jedi. He will find that with us and more.”

The quiet peace was torn from them with a single warning from the force before the sound of blaster fire filled the sky. “Get down!” Luke cried. 

“Get the youngling out of here!” Obi-Wan yelled, praying to the force that the lightsaber he claimed would allow him to rely on it for these next moments, and to not completely ruin it. “We’ll draw them off. Rey, get to the ship and stay out of sight.”

“But!”

“Rey I need you to bring the ship to us and get us out of here, it makes it less likely for them to keep us planet bound.” Obi-Wan explained, handing her the bag of lightsabers she hasn't noticed he held and stared her down. “Go.”

“Yes master.” She said nodding before turning and running from the barrage of blaster fire from above.

Half a dozen Ysanna remained with Obi-Wan and Luke, the Jedi pulling their lightsabers from their robes. “What's the plan, Kenobi?” Luke asked, deflecting a blast with his blade.

“Take down what we can until Rey can pick us up. Don't get killed.” Obi-Wan answered, feeling the instability of the old lightsaber in his hands. 

“Good plan.” A Ysanna said, nodding a masked face to him. “We're with you until you're off.”

“Thank you.” Obi-Wan said, taking a breath before rushing toward the incoming TIE fighters and leaping off the ground.

Luke watched with wide eyes as Obi-Wan chose to run face first into mortal peril, leaping with assistance of the force into direct fire of the fighters. Lightsaber forward, he stabbed into the cockpit of a fighter, climbing atop it. Fire leaked from the cockpit, fighter tilting to the left and starting it's spiraling descent as Obi-Wan’s feet left the black metal.

Luke and the Ysanna did what they could from the ground as Obi-Wan leapt from fighter to fighter, leaving a trail of smoke in his path. Twice Luke was sure the Jedi had died before that red hair popped up into his sight, the Jedi clinging tightly to a spinning TIE fighter. It felt ages before the Falcon was in view, hardly catching Obi-Wan with her roof as the Jedi was flung from a flaming fighter. “Jedi Skywalker!” A Ysanna called as Luke ascended the ramp to the Falcon.

“The fire haired one. Keep an eye on him, he's crazy!”

 

“Where did he go…?” Anakin’s voice was high and quiet, but felt like a punctuation to the silence in the moment.

“I don't know…” The words tasted like acid on his tongue as Qui-Gon spoke them, panic rising in his chest. Obi-Wan had simply… Disappeared! 

Suddenly there was a snap in the force as Lorna called for the Council with it. “He can't have discorperated but I don't… I have no other explanation. He was stabilizing!” The man cried, black hands gripping the sheets of the medbed.

“ _ Master… Master!” _ The voice was soft, feminine, but it filled the room from a mouth unseen. Blinking back into their vision just next to Lorna’s hands lay Obi-Wan Kenobi. Dark brown tunics and fire red hair mussed from sleep, but it was Obi-Wan! The man turned his head, eyes cracking open slightly before widening and locking on Qui-Gon’s. 

“ _ Qui-G- _ ”

“ _ Master! Master Obi-Wan! _ ” A hand gripped Obi-Wan’s shoulder, making the man look to it as a young woman flickered into view much the same way as Obi-Wan had. Her hair was tied up into a half-ponytail, padawan braid falling over her right shoulder. “ _ Mas- Woah. _ ” The woman looked around with wide bright eyes before they flickered out of sight again, as if they had only been a grainy holo vid.

“What was that, we have just seen?” Yoda’s voice came from the doorway to the room, Mace an awed specter behind him. 

“Masters I’m… I’m not sure. Knight Kenobi disappeared abruptly just moments agoa and now that… whatever it was.” Lorna spoke up, cradling his hand that had been so close to Obi-Wan to his chest. 

“Disappeared? What do you mean disappeared?” Mace snapped, stepping into the room after Yoda.

Qui-Gon let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, not oblivious to the way Anakin gripped his cloak in an attempt to calm the Master. “He means disappeared. Obi-Wan was here one moment and the next he was just gone. The next thing we know… that happened.”

A low hum came from just beside the medbed, bringing attention again to Master Yoda. “Interesting, this is. Called him Master, the young woman did. A padawan braid she wore. How long, I wonder, has it been for Knight Kenobi, in these short minutes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Taken, Obi-Wan was. By the Force, it must be. Where he is now is not the question, but when.” Yoda stated, a look of disquiet on his face. “Wait, we must, if he will return, it will not be long. For us, it will not be long.”


	4. Rey's Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey looked to Obi-Wan, her brows furrowing. “Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with what I said..?”  
> Obi-Wan simply smiled, letting go of Rey’s shoulder. “Because there are seven words that without fail foreshadow a mission, and I’m about to say them now.”  
> The silence was heavy until Obi-Wan sighed. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has been taking so long, my life has his a serious rough patch, my partner being in and out of the hospital during the holidays being one of them, but here you are. An update. Enjoy it.

Silence hung around them like falling ash, deep breaths and clear shock from… whatever that was that had just happened. “Was that…?” 

“My old Master and his new Padawan. It was Qui-Gon and Anakin.” Obi-Wan said, rubbing the back of his hand across his forehead as if to wipe away sweat that wasn’t there. 

More silence followed. 

Rey sat heavily down on her Master’s bunk and clasp her hands, eyes boring down at her dirty fingertips. “So we just…”

“Slipped between timelines? Yes.” Obi-Wan glanced to the wall where he had seen his Master standing… really there, just moments ago. He was-

“It looks like you miss him… a lot.” Rey spoke up, looking at her Master again. Anything to keep herself from panicking about what had just occurred. Obi-Wan was still sleep mused and now looked more tired than he had before laying down to rest. 

He was silent for a moment before nodding. “I do miss him a lot. I miss him, and my friends. Garen, Bant, Siri… gods Siri has been spending so much time around me to make sure I don’t feel guilty about her arm I was used to her annoying presence at my side.” He said with a smile. “Anakin too, the young boy only ever wants the approval of others, and he’s brilliant, truly a gift to be around. I miss them all.”

Rey reflected for a moment. While it seemed often that Obi-Wan and Luke left her out of things, she was still observant. It was impossible to miss the way Luke watched Obi-Wan. The awe in the old man’s face had changed to something different as he got to know Obi-Wan as the young master truly was; but it seemed maybe only she could see it considering Obi-Wan’s obliviousness on the subject. “Well… For now you have me at least? And Luke.”

The smile that bloomed across Obi-Wan’s face almost hurt Rey to look at as it was both sad and eternally grateful. Lifting an arm, Obi-Wan pulled his padawan into a hug and rest his chin atop her head. “Yes, Rey. I do have you, and no matter how much I miss home I never want you to doubt how much I care about you.

“I never expected to have a padawan this early, let alone under the circumstances that brought me here, but you’re a joy to teach and a wonderful friend. I couldn’t ask for a better padawan, and I’ve grown quite fond of you. I trust the skills you’ve acquired in your time on Jakku, and what’s most important is that you trust me to be able to help you grow.” Rey didn’t notice that tears had begun to brim at the edges of her eyes until Obi-Wan cupped her cheek and brought them to her attention. “Come dearheart. I believe there’s enough room in the hold for another quick sparring lesson.”

Without thinking, Rey nodded, letting Obi-Wan release her and lead her from the room. It wasn’t until they passed Luke that she remembered where she had been going with the topic. Luke watched them pass with no little measure of curiosity and the way his eyes trailed Obi-Wan’s oblivious back made her swear in silence. She needed to bring that to light before things got painful for everyone.

 

“Rey, your height is something you can use to your advantage. You’re shorter than Luke and I but not by much, you have more strength in you than you think, stop shrinking yourself.” Obi-Wan said, tagging her back with the training strength blade. He was answered only with a frustrated grunt and a ripple in the force. “Don’t get angry, don’t feed from the dark. You’ve always had to make yourself small to hide and fit into tight places, the time for hiding is done. You’re fighting now. So fight me.” 

Lightsabers collided and hummed together, the two dancing between a slow and quick pace, taking time for Rey to get comfortable with the saber in hand. After a few more minutes of the dance, Obi-Wan raised a hand to pause. “This isn’t working. The Saber isn’t right for you. I don’t think a short hilted blade ever will be.” He hummed, cupping his chin and clipping Luke’s saber to his hip. “We’ll have to find something to make a staff for you… Maybe cut down that pipe you found, thin it out... “ His train of thought was interrupted by the stuttering stop of a drop from hyperspace. 

Rey suddenly felt as though her heart stopped in her chest. They were back. Finn was on the planet below them. Thought of her saberstaff distant she ran out of the hold and toward the cockpit. “Rey!”

Obi-Wan reached the cockpit minutes after Rey, taking time to reorganize the mess they had made in their spar and generally not rush. A green planet grew larger in their view as they neared it and Obi-Wan took comfort in the warm glow of more force users. “We’re getting a comm.” Luke said, glancing back to Obi-Wan, the younger… older? man smiled warmly at the Jedi before him, noting how Luke’s eyes shifted down to the lightsaber on his hip and grinned. 

Rey was fast to accept the comm, eyes lightening at the sound of Leia’s voice. “Welcome back, Falcon. Any updates on cargo?”

“General we have two Jedi Masters on board requesting permission to land.” Rey’s voice bloomed with excitement and happiness, glad to be back, ready to see Finn and Leia again. 

“Two? Well I’m sure you’ll explain shortly. Permission granted. Welcome back, Rey.”

 

It seemed Rey was getting more and more acclimated to hugs as that was how she saw fit to greet Leia once the General was in sight. The older woman laughed and held Rey close. “It’s good to see you back, Rey.”

“I’m glad to be back, General.” Rey said, grinning and turning toward the ramp of the ship. “I’ve brought back some cargo. Your wayward brother, and of course my new Master. Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi.” The two strolled down the ramp as though they had nothing better to do than look impressive, something that made Rey roll her eyes. Apparently that was a Jedi trait. To look as extra and dramatic as possible. 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Leia said, eyeing the ginger man with scepticism. 

“General.” Obi-Wan bowed, hands behind his back and Luke’s lightsaber still prominently displayed on his hip. “It’s a pleasure to meet you finally. I’ve heard a lot from your brother, my padawan, and some journals written by apparently myself.”

Leia pursed her lips and looked to Luke. “You certainly were up to something while hiding on that island weren’t you?” Her voice came off gruff and almost accusatory, and Obi-Wan could feel the pain radiating off Luke in that moment. “But come on, come on. I’ve heard from Chewie recently, he’s still on Kashyyk. Finn has only been awake for a short time, maybe a week, so he’s still in med bay and yes he will be able to accept visitors, but first we have a job to do.” She said, looking pointedly at Rey. “Poe is on a mission at the moment, locating the Knights of Ren, thought Kylo himself isn’t being subtle about his location considering he’s currently the shadow of General Hux. In the meantime; fill me in on what in the universe is a young Obi-Wan Kenobi- a man who died right in front of us on the Death Star- doing here on my base?”

The group followed Leia into an office, listening as the door closed behind them with a hiss. “Well, that’s a very interesting story.”

 

“There were two Jedi on Ossus.” The holo assured through dark helmet and altered tone. “Luke Skywalker and a red haired man who was much stronger than we expected. We managed to get a tracker onto the Millennium Falcon, it won’t be long until the Resistance Base’s location becomes known to us.”

“Do not be too confident. Jedi have a skill of losing their tracking devices. I assume a scavenger was sent after them as well?” Kylo’s low altered voice demanded.

Only silence answered him, the holo projector cracking as Kylo’s anger grew. “You will not fail me.” And with that the holo flickered out and died. With a swift turn and twirl of his cloak and a heavy sigh, Kylo turned, marching from the broken machinery. “But at least she hasn’t been a total loss…” 

Removing his helmet, Kylo looked back out the viewport. “Sending Dameron after my Knights. He’s not the best at being subtle. Not anymore at least.”

  
  


“You can see him now.” Leia’s voice was quiet, but enough to fill Rey with joy as she nodded to a closed door. “He’s been better, walking around, coherent. Asked about you more than once.”

Looking to Leia, Rey’s confidence faltered. “He’s not… upset with me for leaving is he?”

“Of course not, Rey. He was a little… disappointed you weren’t there when he woke, but once he was told of your mission he understood. Honestly, we hadn’t expected you back yet, but… I suppose I see why.” Leia said, glancing back to the Jedi who had gotten distracted behind them. 

With a nod and deep breath, Rey opened the door, revealing Finn who sat pouring over flimpast. “Finn-”

“Rey!” The moment Finn spotted her, a grin spread across his face and a ripple of warmth rolled through the force. “You’re back!” He cried, standing and meeting the woman halfway, hugging her tightly.

The pair were oblivious as Obi-Wan stepped to Leia. “You felt that… didn’t you?” 

She was silent in her agreement, but nodded. “Yes, I’ve known since I met the boy the first time… Finn is very strong in the Force, not just Rey. He has as much potential as Rey to be a Jedi.” She turned briskly toward the man out of time. “But I do not want all of them to be taken from us and destroyed like they were before.” She snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. “The Jedi have done nothing but cause harm to my family.”

To that, Obi-Wan was silent, but Leia slowly calmed. “I understand, General.” He said, glancing to Luke. “But I am not the one who would become his Master. I already have a padawan, but you can’t deny there’s something in him that feels a lot like your brother isn’t there.”

Leia followed Obi-Wan’s gaze to where Luke watched the pair beyond them, his eyes tracking the young man more closely than anything else. “Rey told me. Finn picking up Anakin’s old blade and facing an opponent who far outmatched him and being able to hold his own with no saber training for as long as he did? There is something special about these two, and maybe they shouldn’t be Jedi, but there’s nothing more dangerous than Force Users who have no training running around in this galaxy. Not while people like Snoke are out there turning those who once belonged to the light into masked monsters.” 

Finally, Leia turned to Obi-Wan again, and let her eyes travel down the man’s form. What he had described to her was enough to keep her distracted from sizing him up, but finally she would do so. This wasn’t the man who her father once told her to find, not yet at least, but there was a hardness to his eyes, a gentleness to his hands, and something about him that breathed utter love for the universe. Looked five years from the holos her father had shown her, looked like one of Bail’s “most loved ones”. He wasn’t there yet, but he almost was, and to Leia that was enough. “Watch my brother. It’s not that I don’t trust him anymore…” She looked over to where Luke had moved to for a better view of the younger pair. “But I doubt he trusts himself.”

  
  


“A lightsaber isn’t a regular weapon.” Obi-wan lectured as he and Rey sat, parts of his lightsaber floating above them with the force. “The plasma beam circles back into the hilt, leaving the blade with a sharp and dull edge like a metal blade.” He explained bringing two parts together with the force. “The crystals focus the energy of the blade just as how they can focus your energy and help you meditate. That’s why the crystals are so important to belong to the Jedi who wields the weapon. It’s an extension of you that is tied to your energies through the crystal.”

“Is that why Kylo couldn’t call Anakin’s lightsaber to him?” Rey asked, eyes shifting from the parts to her Master. 

Obi-Wan nodded, glancing to where Finn sat on a chair in the room watching them. “It may also be why Finn was able to use the lightsaber. It’s rare for people to be able to pick up someone else’s lightsaber without there being some energy that resonates with the person. Rey, you told me when you first touched Anakin’s lightsaber that it was my voice you heard.” 

Rey nodded, looking from Obi-Wan to Finn. “Yes?”

“That’s because your energy didn’t match Luke’s or Anakin’s, the two people who have wielded that saber the most. You touched that blade and by extension them, and the fact Old Ben Kenobi kept that blade for years. It wasn’t them who you connected to, it was me. Finn… When you picked up the blade what did you feel?”

Finn sputtered for a moment before frowning down to his lap. “I… I don’t know. It was in the middle of a fight, all I knew was Rey was missing and the First Order was there and-”

“Finn.” Luke’s calming voice rang out from the doorway. “What did you feel then?”

Silence fell across the room as Finn’s shoulders shook. “I could feel it. I could feel them, what the First Order did. I felt so many people just… gone. All that death.”

The lightsaber parts faltered in the air for a moment as Rey threw herself to Finn. “Oh Force, Finn.” She whispered, holding her friend tightly. “I’m… I’m so sorry.”

“Finn… you don’t always have to feel all of the Force at once like that. We can teach you to strengthen your shields in some places and lower them in others… half the time we can hardly feel you in the Force.” Luke said, stepping over to the younger pair. “You don’t have to become a padawan, a Jedi, anything like that, but let us help you.”

Finn looked up to the aged man in front of him, then over to Rey. “We can train together.” She said, taking his hand and squeezing it softly. “You don’t have to fight with me.”

“I want to though.” Finn’s voice was firm as he looked from Rey to Luke again. “I want to fight, I want to help the Resistance in any way that I can.”

“You can help without being a Jedi, Finn.” Obi-Wan’s voice reminded the young man that the Master was still there, sitting in lotus with saber parts floating in the air. “The path may be the same, but it’s you who makes the difference. You can be a Jedi and help the Resistance, or you can be another Resistance member, and we will think no different of you. You have time to think on it, but remember, that you are born with the Force, it’s a part of you. No matter what you do you will always have a gift with it.”

 

Obi-Wan and Luke circled each other, feet bare and shifting in the grass, lightsabers out and facing each other. “If you’re going to take Finn as a Padawan you need to get yourself back up to par in what you need to teach him.” Obi-Wan teased, a grin on his face. The more time he spent with Luke, the younger it made the man seem, as though he was growing more healthy with each interaction.

“The choice is up to him, he knows my bad history with Padawans. I would not fault him for choosing not to take the path of the Jedi.” Luke spoke, letting the force guide his steps and blade, no true force behind his movements, nor Obi-Wan’s counters. It was more a meditation than a spar, and something about it was intimate to him, letting him feel closer to Obi-Wan than ever before. 

Obi-Wan shook his head, his smile falling away into a solemn expression. “One mistake does not dictate the course of everything, Luke.”

“One that may bring about another totalitarian regime is still a heavy enough mistake that any sort of negative recoil from me is understandable, you should know better than anyone.” Luke grumbled, stumbling out of his step as Obi-Wan disengaged his saber.

“No. No I don’t know. You’ve been getting better at remembering the man who you knew and I are not the same. There are many years of horrible experience he lived that I did not, but did you ever blame Old Ben for what Vader did?” Luke was silent. “Luke Skywalker went head first into everything knowing that Padme had been right. There was still good in Vader, and that’s what Leia still sees in Ben. There is still good in him, and if one Skywalker twin can be right about that, so can the other. If Palpatine can manipulate Anakin into the things he had done, then Snoke could do the same to Ben.”

Luke stared at Obi-Wan, as though he was seeing him for the first time all over again. His hair had grown a tad more shaggy, tunics half shed for the meditation, feet bare and dirty, a classic style of saber hilt in his hand that the Master knew held a brilliant emerald crystal. This was a different man than the Obi-Wan Kenobi he had known, but he was still Obi-Wan. A younger, more reckless, more beautiful version. An Obi-Wan who still believed people could be saved from the dark. “If Finn comes to you asking to be trained, then you must train him, just as I must train Rey.”

“Obi-Wan I-”

The sound of a shrill yet low alarm interrupted Luke’s words, drawing all eyes to the base. “That sounds like…”

“An evacuation alarm.”

 

Ships taking off into the atmosphere and people running about with as many supplies as they could handle confirmed the Jedi’s fears. “What happened?” Obi-Wan barked at a pilot who ran past. 

“Poe has been compromised and three tracking devices have been found on ships, two still live. The base needs to be evacuated and Black Squadron is going out to find Poe.”

“Against orders I assume.” Luke said, tugging a boot back on, gaze serious on the pilot. Leia had explained Poe’s role in the resistance. He was an amazing pilot, but also an amazing informant, most of his missions were nonrecoverable. If he was compromised, he needed to find his own way out.

The pilot’s face grew red, with anger or embarrassment Luke honestly could not tell. “I understand General Leia’s orders, but we can’t let Poe get taken by Kylo again. If we can find him before Kylo does… there will be less recovery needed.”

“Get Black Squadron into orbit and hold there together.” Obi-Wan said, pulling his tabards over his shoulders. “The Falcon will meet you up there. I pulled a tracker off her two days ago and have been working to try and reverse the tracking. Hopefully we can follow that to Poe, but we’re going to plan once in the air. Go.”

The pilot looked over the Jedi, eyes narrowed but nodding in agreement. “I hope whatever you have planned is going to work, Commander.”

That took Obi-Wan off guard. “Commander?” 

“You’re a Jedi, Commander Kenobi. That immediately grants you that rank. Leia doesn’t know you well enough to give you the full General rank, but you’re afforded that at least. We’ll see you in Orbit.”

 

Finn and Rey had heard the alarm, running toward the falcon they saw Luke and Obi-Wan, the pair heading the same direction. “What happened?” Finn yelled, stopping to face them, only the be grabbed by the collar and pulled up the ramp by Rey.

“Two active trackers have been found on ships here and news has it that Poe has been compromised.” Obi-Wan said, carrying his boots in hand as he walked up the ramp behind them. “We’re meeting Black Squadron in orbit, have either of you seen The General?”

“I’m right here, Kenobi.” Leia’s voice was the only thing that could have caused the Jedi to pause, making them turn to see her at the bottom of the ramp. “Dameron knows his missions are non-recoverable. Last time he got out, we don’t even know if it’s true or if it’s just a trap.” 

“It likely is a trap.” Obi-Wan agreed, nodding. “That’s why I’m not letting Black Squadron go with us. I’m going to scatter them, they already know the location of your next base, correct?” At Leia’s nod he continued. “But if following the reverse track of the one I found on the Falcon leads us to more information about the First Order, and it might lead us to Poe.”

Leia was silent for a long moment, the sound of evacuation around them. “Well hurry if you plan to get out of here before the First Order arrives.”

“Will you get out in time?” Rey asked, stepping down the ramp, looking from Leia to Obi-Wan. 

“Of course I will, Rey.” Leia said, resting a hand on Rey’s arm. “I’ve been at this longer than you’ve been alive.”

“Master I…” Rey mumbled, looking up to where Obi-Wan and Luke stood. 

“No Rey, not this time. You’re not ready.” Obi-Wan said, crossing his arms. “You haven’t even completed your staff. You’ll have more time to train on the Falcon.”

“Master if Leia is compromised-”

“Leia has years of experience in the field, Padawan.” Obi-Wan’s voice was sharp. “You would be more of a hindrance than a help. Your craving for action is understandable but a risk. Get on the ship.”

Rey stared Obi-Wan down, the pair both unmoving as a shudder came through the force. “They’re already here.” Leia said, glaring at the Jedi. “Get into Orbit, Poe will know our next location. Find him.” With that she ran off, shuffling into a ship just before a rain of blaster fire scattered down atop them.

“Get on the kriffing ship!” Obi-Wan snapped, placing a hand on Finn’s back and directing him into the hull before popping his head out. “Padawan! You’re our pilot. Now.”

 

Luke slammed on the shields, hands snapping to buttons across the controls, eyes not leaving the viewport. “Obi-Wan! Can you and Finn get into the gunner pods? We need to cover Leia’s ship, make sure she leaves safely.”

Obi-Wan only nodded, but Luke could hear Finn’s sputter of “Yes Sir!” before they disappeared out the doorway. Rey sat heavily into the pilot’s chair, an angry cast to her face as she prepared the ship to lift. 

“He’s right, Rey.” Luke said softly, eyes not leaving Leia’s ship. 

“I still could have helped.”

“No, you couldn’t have. You help her best here with us.” He countered, redirecting the shields as a TIE flew in front of them. “Your training has hardly begun, you can’t do solo yet. Listen to your Master.”

“Even he said he wasn’t ready to be a Master. Maybe he was right.” Rey snapped, watching as the same TIE that just flew past them was hit and crashed into the ground below them. 

Luke let out a sigh. “There are many things that man is not ready for, but being your Master is not one of them. He may not have lived the life of the Obi-Wan we knew, but he is still a Jedi, and he still knows first hand more about war than you do. When you’re ready he will let you go off on your own, but not when he thinks you’ll get hurt.”

“Or let someone else get hurt.” She grumbled, flying the Falcon between Leia’s ship and another TIE fighter, watching it take two hits from the Falcon and a few from an X-Wing flown by a pilot she didn’t recognize.

“He doesn’t think you’ll let her get hurt, Rey.” Luke sighed, standing to silence an alarm. “He would rather have you here on our mission, finding Poe, hunting down the Knights of Ren. That’s our mission. Not babysitting my sister. She doesn’t need it.” And with that they watched Leia hit hyperspace and disappear. “Now let’s round up Black Squadron, hail them, and scatter them, then we hit hyperspace.”

“But all those people still on the ground…” Rey blinked up to Luke, startled.

Luke locked eyes with her. “If there still is anyone left on the ground. There were at least three dozen cargo ships full of people that hit hyperspace with Leia, or did you not notice them?”

It was that that left Rey looking chastised. No, she hadn’t noticed them. 

“Brilliant, just brilliant Poe.” Poe Dameron grumbled to himself, making high steps through the knee deep swamp water he found himself in. There were sounds of the search above him that caused him to freeze and go silent, hands about him in such a way that caused him to stifle an exasperated grunt. Of all things to happen, it was a simple, easy recon mission, how- no why was it that when things are supposed to be easy they go completely tits up?

Only after the noise had passed across the trees above him did he began moving again, grumbling as he sloshed his way across this hot smelly planet. Now, Poe wasn’t all that force sensitive. He was told when he was young that he had to be to have been such a good pilot as he was, but he knew better. There was some vague grasp of knowledge of the force, that much was true, but he was nowhere near being able to manipulate it. That being said, he could still feel the Force, he could still feel the imprints left by the darkside, he could still feel himself being tracked by something dark. This was different than when he was with Ben- no. When he was tortured by Kylo Ren. This was darker, more sure of itself. Whatever this was, he was sure it would do more damage than Kylo.

 

“Wait!” Rey called out, feeling something familiar pull at her as R2 bleeted at her as he entered the cockpit. “BB8!”

“What about the droid?” Finn asked, leaning against the doorway after having been pushed aside by the droid with a bad attitude. 

“R2 said Poe took BB8 with him. If we can track BB8…” Rey looked from Finn to R2-D2, a serious expression on her face. “He has a coded chip, doesn’t he? Something we could track his location from?”

She was answered with a line of beeps that made her sigh and drop back against the Pilot’s chair. “Oh.”

“What did he say?” 

“He said that BB8 has to flip the switch himself, and because they went on a remote undercover mission even in emergencies he’s not likely to even think about turning it on.” Luke said, looking from his droid to Finn. “So that lead is a dead end.”

“Poe probably lost his X-Wing in whatever firefight lost him, so tracking his ship will bring up nothing either.” Finn admitted, crossing his arms. “So what are we supposed to do to find him?”

There was silence until the sound of bootsteps toward the cockpit drew their attention. “We’ve received a transmission from the General. It included the last information received by Poe Dameron. As of two cycles ago he was in the Dagoban system.”

“Dagoba?” Luke asked, looking up to Obi-Wan with wide eyes. “He’s on Dagoba.”

“Well, we can’t really know if he’s on the planet Dagoba or not.” Obi-Wan said, though a small smile teased at the corner of his lips.

“You should know by now, Obi-Wan. There is no such thing as coincidence. Poe Dameron is on Dagoba, and I have a feeling there is an old Troll waiting to have some words with us.”

 

Thirteen hours into hyperspace and finally Rey approached Obi-Wan after futile attempts at meditation, her mind lingering on her words during the departure from the base. Her words were cruel, out of line, and even though Obi-Wan hadn’t heard them they were still bad enough that he deserved an apology. Even if it were thirteen hours in the making. 

She found him in the small kitchen, sitting at the table across from Luke in silence, the sort of silence that Luke had settled himself into and made no attempt to break, simply revel in. To Rey, the silence was too heavy, and she paused before breaking it. “Obi-Wan I-”

“I’m in no way upset, Padawan.” Obi-Wan said, looking to her with kind eyes, eyes that understood Rey’s frustrations first hand. “Do sit down.”

Rey took a pause before sitting next to Obi-Wan, leaving the young Master between the two Jedi. “I’d found myself in your position before, actually much more extremely than you had. You trusted my judgment and pulled back with me, which I am very thankful for. “

“Master, I used very cruel and unfitting words to Luke about you, and I want to apologize. I said… many things I do not believe all out of anger.” Rey said, looking down at the table under her hands.

The gentle hand on her shoulder almost made the turmoil inside of her grow. Of course he would forgive her, the forgiveness, no matter how honest, felt wrong, too easy. “I accept your apology Rey. We often let our tongues lash out without thought, with time that will become easier to control. Words have a power, Rey. Whether said to the target or not, there is a power we don’t always understand or control. Curses, promises, words have power.”

Rey looked to Obi-Wan, her brows furrowing. “Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with what I said..?”

Obi-Wan simply smiled, letting go of Rey’s shoulder. “Because there are seven words that without fail foreshadow a mission, and I’m about to say them now.”

The silence was heavy until Obi-Wan sighed. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

 

She was close, she could feel it. The air was too hot, too wet, making her hair stick to the back of her neck under her helmet, black clothes clinging close, feet pulsing with her heart as she stalked through the marshes. With Poe Dameron she would be able to bring Snoke more information than even her foolish leader Kylo Ren could. The man was weak, still haunted by the light, the foolish adoration for a Dark Hero long dead. Klea would not fail. She never did. 

 

There was a stutter-stop in the Force that even Poe could feel for all his ability in the force, which was admittedly very limited. There was… something. Something changed, something that felt… bad.

He rushed and ducked into a cave, sliding through the dirt, looking out through the small doorway. “Why here, are you?” A voice came from behind him, making Poe twist around onto his back, hand on his blaster. 

A… okay honestly Poe had no idea what species the being he was looking at was, but it was small and glowing blue. “I’m… trying to stay away from… well whatever that is out there.”

“Reasonable, that is, but invade my house, you should not!” The being complained again, tapping it’s cane against the dirt floor, making Poe look around curiously. Home? This mess? Well, they were at war, and he had seen odder things.

“Well, I can leave if you’d prefer I… well, not be here.” Poe said, face pinching in thought. “I am sorry I… invaded as I did.”

The being humphed and stared at him for a moment. “Fine it is… Appreciated, your apology is.”

“Um… thank you?” Poe said, looking around in confusion before he shuffled back at the sound of something outside the… hut? With the little blue glowing… thing saying it lived here it was more likely a hut than a cave, just subjected to many years of swamp and very little upkeep. “What is it out there?”

“A ghost there is. A darkside user as well. Yes, dangerous it is outside.” The being said, smiling. “A sith, the ghost is. Been here a long time, he has. Tired, he will grow again and away he will go.”

“Back, he will be though. Again and again.” The being continued as Poe stared out into the foggy swamp. 

Great.

 

“You’re doing better with the staff.” Obi-Wan said, smiling at his padawan, Rey panting and rubbing sweat from her brow. “Someday you may be able to best me.”

Rey took that challenge with a smile, shaking her head. “Oh Master so soon that day will be.” She teased right back, nodding as Obi-Wan motioned for the spar to truly end. 

“Rey.” His tone made her truly stop, staff lowered and disengaged. 

“Master?”

“I know you hate when I tell you to stay behind, but I need you to promise me. If at any time I tell you to run, to get Finn or Poe out of there, you need to do it. There is… something else down there. Something worse than Kylo Ren. Something older, darker.”

Rey was silent at these words, face unreadable as he spoke. “And what of you, then?”

Obi-Wan smiled, suddenly understanding his master even more now than he ever had. “You must trust me to follow you. To meet you wherever you may go.”

It felt heavy, his words. There was a weight to them she couldn’t comprehend, but she was sure that someday… she would.

 

“It’s exactly as miserable as I remember.” Luke complained, frowning harder at Obi-Wan’s laugh.

“I’ve never been to Dagobah. I’m sure Yoda will enjoy this story, he’d probably drag me back in our timeline just to see what would happen.” Obi-Wan sloshed through the swamp, finding his way to dry… ish ground. “Luke, can you feel him?”

At first, Finn and Rey thought Obi-Wan was asking about Poe, but the look on Luke’s face disproved that easily. It was a smile of familiarity that graced his face, they were talking about the Force Ghost. Yoda. “He’s feeling about as jovial as ever. Apparently this Poe is amusing.” He said, stretching his shoulders to ease the ache of the damp in his bones. “But I don’t need to follow the Force to find my old Master. I’m sure his hovel is still standing.”

Obi-Wan laughed, looking into the swamp with an odd smile. Rey looked to Finn, hoping he saw what she did, but his dark eyes were off behind them. “Finn?”

“Don’t listen to it, Finn.” Luke said quietly, lis expression solemn. “You’re not ready yet for what the temple may have to show you. I wasn’t.” He said, hand gripping Finn’s thick bicep. “We need to find your pilot.”

Finn turned, looking to Luke and nodded. “Yeah… let’s find Poe.”

“Keep your guard up, all of you.” Obi-Wan said, looking to Rey and nodding. “There is an animal on the hunt in the swamp, and it seeks what we seek. We need to find Poe and get him out before it finds him, and we must be sure it doesn’t follow us to him either.”

A shudder ran through Finn at the Jedi’s words, and so they began to move.

It was slow moving through the swamp, each step slowed by the heat and wet. Luke had shed his tabbards and retired them to his sack, and Finn watched as he quietly urged Obi-Wan to do the same. Rey seemed unaffected by the heat, but the wet had her breath coming out nearly as a whease. The air felt heavy, more than just the heat and moisture, it was a weight of something dark, something watching. “Rey.” Finn whispered. “Can you feel that? Like we’re being watched?”

Rey was about to answer when Luke did. “That’s because we are being watched, Finn.” He said, glancing back to the padawans. “But it’s not the hunter. Dagoba is like most planets that are strong in the light side of the force.

“It’s strong in the dark as well. Most Jedi temples are built atop Sith temples, not an attempt to prove any sort of power over the Sith and the Dark, but to negate the effects. To try and bring balance and peace to the areas. Sometimes, though, dark things linger.”

“Sith ghosts are much more… dramatic than force ghosts.” Obi-Wan added, nudging Luke to keep moving. “And there is still so much for us all to learn about the Sith and the Jedi. The knowledge I have are things passed to me by my Grand-Master. Master Dooku had an… interest in the Sith, believed we had a lot to learn from them, to learn of the dark. My master disagreed, as did I. Now… Now I think I may have been very wrong. The tiny bits of information I’ve picked up from him are becoming very helpful now.”

“The Sith Ghost here on Dagoba was held back for many years by nature and then by Yoda’s strong Force Presence. Now that he too is gone, and the war never stopped, the Sith only grew stronger, feeding off the malice in the universe.” Luke explained, glancing back and smiling to himself as he noticed the padawans had stepped closer to Obi-Wan and himself.  “But that’s not why we’re here.”

“Yes but… don’t you think we should try and take care of that too…?” Rey offered, looking around them as she walked, hand suddenly clasped with Finn’s.

Obi-Wan looked back to them, to Luke, and smiled.

“Come, we’re almost there.”

 

“Impetulant Padawan you are!” Yoda cried and waved his stick upon seeing Luke and the party. “Bring everyone to my home, you do! Left alone, I wished to be!”

“Oh Master, why do I find that so hard to believe?” Luke said, stepping closer to the hutt. “Is Poe with you?” 

“With me, the Pilot is.” Yoda huffed, crossing his arms. “With you, the time-traveler is. Into the force you went, when last I saw you, Obi-Wan. Much older you were, then.”

Obi-Wan smiled, and knelt before the aged and passed Master. “And last I saw you, Master Yoda, you stood before me and sent me on a mission to settle a trade dispute with a fellow knight. A time that seems now to not exist for you.” 

Yoda reached out with his gimer stick and slapped the knight across the shins. “Missed you both, I have.” The troll admitted, voice tight. “Your company, I fear, will come with a price, young Master Kenobi.”

Obi-Wan nodded, as though he had known all along. “Sleeping, the Pilot is. Like him, I do. Keep him safe you will, Padawans Finn and Rey.” Yoda continued. “Take him to your ship, you will. Into hyperspace you will go, with Master Luke. Master Kenobi will follow. Unfinished business we have here.”

Silence fell on them for a moment before the snap-hiss of a lightsaber rang from across the bog. Obi-Wan looked to the sharp red reaching from the darkness. “Get him to the falcon.” Obi-Wan agreed, looking to his padawans. “Luke, protect their retreat.”

“No.” Luke said, stepping toward Obi-Wan, fear etched into his bright eyes.

“You must trust that I can do what needs done.” Obi-Wan spoke, gripping Luke’s arm, their eyes locking, the echoes of their previous conversation ringing between them. 

“Finn! Get Poe up and bring him out here.” Rey said, pushing him toward the hutt, feeling the weight of Obi-Wan’s words. 

The red saber grew closer, light revealing a slender form of pure malice. Helmet sharper than Kylo’s, something about it mirroring Bes’kar’gam. Obi-Wan tore his eyes from Luke’s to watch it’s approach. The first Knight of Ren he would meet in battle. He was sure it would not be the last. He could hear Finn and Poe returning from inside the hutt, the muffled “woah” from the Pilot. “That’s… Luke Skywalker… and- oh fuck. We need to get out of here.”

Obi-Wan looked to Luke again, feeling the man’s reluctance to leave. “Trust me, Luke Skywalker. I will return to yo-”

Luke didn’t think, only acted. Pulling Obi-Wan to him, their lips crashing together in a moment of desperation. Retreating, Luke spoke, his tone fearce. “You will come back alive, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Despite the muddled emotions in him Obi-Wan smiled and turned to the much closer knight of Ren. “Get out of here. Now.”

Rey watched her master ignite his saber and rush toward the knight, who’s pace increased to meet him. The crash of sabers were all they heard as they ran to the falcon, hearts in their throats.


	5. Force Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sith lashed out, and with it’s remaining power it succeeded in landing a blow on Obi-Wan, though he simply dropped to his knees to meditate. Blood began trickling down his cheek, but he didn’t even wipe it away. With his bonds still open, he called upon his padawan and partner again, letting their light and warmth steady him and refill his reserves. “I am Jedi”
> 
> Wind whipped past him as he began the meditation, forcing his eyes closed and buffering against his ears to kill the sound of it to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank Flamethrower (deadcatwithaflamethrower on tumblr, the author of the best Star Wars fics like, ever) for a bit of this. I borrow her words for a meditation because there was nothing better I could ever have used. I mean, I literally have part of it as a tattoo it's perfect

There was silence on the Falcon, mourning without a real death. Luke sat heavy in the kitchenette, staring to the table like he had the first time he lost Ben Kenobi. He was alive, yes, but stranded on a planet with a Sith Ghost and a Knight of Ren. His chest felt tight, tighter even as he saw Rey move past to the cockpit, steel resolve in her eyes. He prayed he hadn’t cost her even more.

 

“We need to get back to the base-”

“The base was compromised.” Finn said, leaning against the copilot’s chair. “They’ve evacuated to the next base. Leia said you knew the next base’s location.”

Poe sat silent for a moment, putting his face in his hands. “I know three of them… I’m not sure which one they picked.” He admitted, looking out to the lines of hyperspace. “Where are we headed now?”

“Away.” Rey said, hands on her hips, eyes locked on the viewport. “Bring up the tree options on the map, we’ll follow the Force.”

Finn looked to her, then to Poe, sighing. “Is that really how the Force works?”

“The Force is everything, Finn.” She said, looking to him finally. “It makes up everything, it’s all around us, if we’re meant to find the base, it will guide us there… Just as it will guide my Master there.” It was a lesson hard learned, both Luke and her master telling her again and again what the force really was. Saying it now she felt the truth in it, and in her own words. The force would guide them, though to what, she was unsure.

“Rey’s right.” Luke’s voice surprised them from the doorway. “The Force will bring us together just as it had the first time. Let’s see our options, Poe.” Rey felt comfort in Luke’s words, his wisdom something she felt she could fall back on and trust his experience with the force, though she could almost feel the hope in his words. She refused to let that give her doubt.

Poe was silent for a moment before nodding. “Yes sir.”

 

It was cold, and so hot at the same time. Obi-Wan had driven her off, oh yes, it was a her. Once he had shattered her helmet, she threw it aside to reveal a beautiful and pale face, eyes so full of hatred and putrescence, Sith amber glared at him in a way he hadn’t seen since Darth Maul. The same dark rolled off her as it had done him, and her skills matched. But once she realized she had lost her targets, and she could gain no more ground on him, she retreated. And he let her.

Falling to his knees in the mud, Obi-Wan let out a pained huff. He was out of breath, and she had managed a few hits. The sky almost shifted as he looked up past the trees, darkness almost embracing him. “Fall here, you will not.” 

Blinking, Obi-Wan didn’t see the swamp anymore. The blinding white of medical in the temple greeted him, as did the familiar form of Master Yoda, younger than he had been hours earlier. “Master Yoda…”

“Beaten yet, you are not. Stand you will!” 

And despite the protest in his bones, stand he did, blood seeping out into his new tabbards, sticking his hair to his face with more than sweat and mud. He looked from Master Yoda to the other Masters, Mace…. Qui-Gon… Lorna and Anakin also stood looking at him with pain and awe. “Masters…”

“Where are you, Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon whispered.

“Dagoba… Thirty-six years after the battle of Yavin.”

“What is the battle of Yavin?” Mace asked, eyes narrow as he glanced to Lorna who was clearly timing how long Obi-Wan was with them.

“The true start of the rebellion. The Fall of the Empire… Not enough… The First Order has risen from the remnants of the Empire. The Jedi have fallen. Beware Darth Sidious, Masters.” Obi-Wan forced through gritted teeth, his vision blurring and legs growing weak.

“Obi-Wan!” Mace cried as the man faded from their vision and fell into the mud again.

 

Obi-Wan woke again to the steady dripping of water onto his forehead. He was still in the swamp, though he had been blessed enough to not have ended up face first in the mud and suffocated. “Well, you did.” Obi-Wan heard, blinking up at the blue glowing troll before him. 

“In the mud, I am, Master Yoda.” Obi-Wan retorted, unable to find the strength to get himself off the ground.

“Bested, many would have been. Stood your ground, protected others, proud you have made us.” 

Obi-Wan starred up at the sky, hoping to see the white of medical again. How he wanted to stay there, he wanted to go home. “Not yet, Obi-Wan. Up. Stand, you will. Carry you, I cannot. To my home you must go.”

There were many things Obi-Wan thought at that moment, that he would be able to make it to the old hutt were not one of them. “Do or do not.” He mumbled to himself, knowing Yoda’s montra. As he spoke the words, he knew he would be saying that often in the damp heat of Dagobah. He forced himself to stand, boots sliding in the mud more than once. His skin was beginning to itch under the drying mud, his wounds hissing out at him, urging him they needed at least rinsed of the filth that were in them. He used the force to pull a stick toward him, gripping it with his free hand. Lightsaber clipped to his belt, he used the stick to drag himself to the hutt. As he moved, his strength slowly grew, his legs stronger beneath him. Just before the hutt, he discarded his walking stick and crawled into the small space.

 

The Falcon landed within the base, Poe watching as the other pilots scattered across the area, running about their duties, still unloading equipment, supplies they had surely needed. Support may have finally come. “How many did we lose in the evacuation?” 

“Not many that we know of.” Finn said, leaning against the pilot’s chair. “I’m sure we lost some, there’s rarely a battle or evacuation without loss. We scattered Black Squadron as they wanted to look for you. They may take some more time to arrive than others.” 

“Good call.” Poe said, looking to Finn and smiling. “I love my squad, but I have a feeling they wouldn’t have been the most helpful on Dagobah.”

“That’s probably true.” Rey agreed. “But you said you managed to land your X-Wing pretty well in the swamp.”

“Yeah, in the swamp. Thing sank like a brick, BB8 still in it. I hope you guys are right, that Kenobi can find it and bring them both home.” Poe said, standing. “I’m sure the General could use some help, and some recon.”

 

Obi-Wan woke again, not sure when he had fallen asleep. Sitting up, he felt alone for the first time since his arrival on Dagobah. It was quiet, and felt neither light nor dark. Resting. There was a bucket of clear water at his side, and he took a long drink from it before setting to work cleaning his wounds and robes. He would need to find a way off planet soon, but for now he would embrace the small blessings. He was still sore, but the rest was well deserved and helped most of his ills. The water was blessedly cool, which made him suspect it was night out, the air chilling around him. 

Setting his robes to dry as well as they would in the humidity, he crawled from the hutt and stretched, eyes scanning the horizon. Dark, wet, quiet. Closing his eyes and reaching out into the force, Obi-Wan sought what he knew lay within the swamp. The familiar feeling of Yoda was gone, for now, but Obi-Wan knew he would return. The dark presence they had felt remained, though it was centralized and quiet, sleeping, dormant. He had no doubt it would waken before he was ready… or off planet. Crossing his legs, Obi-Wan settled into a proper meditation, seeking guidance and calm. 

 

“I’m sure the commander will return with your ship and droid.” Leia said, hands on her hips as she read across the screens before her. Supplies had been lost in the evacuation, but they weren’t completely dry. There were enough for everyone for now, if they had to make another jump, however, they would start to have issues. “How much information have you recovered?”

Poe leaned on the console, pinching the bridge of his nose. “There are five Knights of Ren, three of them are in direct contact with Ren, one is rumored dead on Ossus, and one faced us on Dagobah. It seems the three closest to Ren are the weaker, whether they are still training or just sticking close to home I don’t know. The one who faced us on Dagobah is the strongest.”

“He may best Ren in strength.” Rey said, arms crossed. “More stable too, more dangerous. I think we might even want to consider him more a threat than Ren.”

Leia looked up to Rey and nodded, crossing her arms. For long moments she was silent before nodding. “You’re all dismissed. Padawan Rey, I know it may be difficult to continue your training with your master gone, but do your best with your supplies here. Poe, check in with medical and get some rest.”

Rey nodded, looking to Poe then to Finn, who seemed too distracted by a flimpast. “What is that, Finn?” She asked, gaining Leia’s attention as well as Finn’s.

“Was this an old Rebellion base?” Finn asked, looking to Leia who nodded. “There are old documents here, who was Mara Jade?”

Leia remained silent, though her silence spoke volumes. It had been someone close to her, someone who’s loss clearly weighed on her mind. “Ask your master, Padawan Finn.” She finally spoke, reaching out for the flimpast. “But wait until Master Kenobi has returned. We need to be gentle with the topic of Mara Jade. She was… very important to us.”

Finn handed over the pad with a firm, understanding nod.

 

“You took your time, Master.” Obi-Wan spoke, opening his eyes to see the blue form before him. “I assume you would like my assistance with this?”

Yoda nodded, a slow but sure nod. “Done alone now, it cannot be. Help from both sides of the veil, we need. Waiting for you, I have been.”

Obi-Wan reached up, rubbing his scruffy chin in thought. For him specifically, but for someone with training in the Force, surely. Suddenly, he came to a clear understanding, like cold water washing over him. “I’ll have to do this again… won’t I?”

Yoda nodded again. “Stronger then, you will be. Purify him alone, you will. Here to help  _ now _ , I am.”

“Hmm.” Obi-Wan hummed, dropping his hand to his lap. “Meditate with me, Master Yoda?”

 

“Obi-Wan…” Luke’s voice was quiet, wistful, as he sat, legs beneath him, on the outskirts of the base. He hadn’t expected the Resistance to return to this base, not now, nor ever. He simply summed it up to bad luck on his part. He could see red hair and green eyes everywhere he turned here, sometimes Obi-Wan’s… Sometimes hers. Mara had been beautiful when they had been here last, and now he sat alone, on the same hill they once stood on together. 

Now that he knew Obi-Wan as a younger man, he wondered if Mara were somehow related to him… The same spitfire, fire-hair and eyes from his dreams. He had lost Mara… and dread built in his chest, fear and knowledge that he may too loose Obi-Wan. “You have a type, Skywalker.” Luke looked up, smiling at the figure above him. He had aged well.

“Wedge!” Luke stood, pulling the man into an embrace.

“It’s good to have you back, Boss.” Antillies said, holding his longtime friend close.

Once the embrace ended, Luke looked over his friend, who had long ago abandoned pilot’s orange for the dark greens of an officer. “It’s been far too long, Wedge.”

“I saw you back on the last base.” Wedge admitted, smiling and resting his hands on his hips. “Waited for a moment to catch you alone, but it was difficult. You really do have a type, Skywalker.”

Luke laughed, though there was a weight in it, a pain. “I suppose I do.”

“Red hair and likely to kill you. She’d be proud you kept to your type.” Wedge continued, gripping his friend’s shoulder. “We didn’t think we’d end up here, Luke… We’d hoped to get further out, but everything needs refueled. We don’t expect to stay long, if you can find a way, leave some clue for Kenobi, something that the First Order won’t be able to track or understand.”

Luke took a deep breath and nodded. “Thank you, Wedge. Where will we be heading next?”

“The Devaron System. We’ll have time, though. Don’t rush yourself, you need this time.” Wedge squeezed Luke’s bicep and smiled. 

“Thank you, Wedge.” Luke said, looking back to the base. “You have always been one of my best friends.”

“That means a lot, Luke. I need to get back before your sister sends out a search party. It was good to talk to you again.”

Luke watched Wedge disappear into the base before settling himself down into a meditation, reaching out to the force for calm, for guidance, for something.

 

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, looking into the base of the tree as if it were ablaze. “How far back is it?”

“Beyond the Jedi chamber. Face the trial as well, you must. Turned around, you must not let yourself be.” Yoda spoke, beckoning for Obi-Wan to kneel down. “Follow you, I will, but physically I cannot. Alone you must face the trial. Find you with this, I can.”

Yoda rest his tri-calwed hand to Obi-Wan’s temple and the younger man could feel something bloom within his mind, and then fade again. “An anchor point, it is. Find you anywhere with it, I can. Once completed we have, remove it I will.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes, Master.”

“Faced the trials in your time, you did?”

“No master, the battle of Naboo was deemed my trial.” Obi-Wan admitted, steeling his nerves. Never had he faced a true trial, but if he could face a sith, save his master, and be torn from the very fabric of his time, a chamber trial could do nothing to him. 

“Good, your confidence is, but let it could your vision you should not.” Yoda’s voice was firm and gentle at the same time. Go now, you must, Obi-Wan. Awake soon he will.”

Obi-Wan nodded, and turned into the base of the tree.

 

It was dark, and he had been walking for sometime now. Lightsaber at his hilt, he dared not ignite it for light. Something felt sure about that. He was not to ignite his saber here. This was a test of a different sort. The whispers started first, words incoherent, but they only grew stronger. _ “You were my brother Anakin!” _

It was his voice, though he didn’t speak. Before him, a figure took shape. It was himself, though aged and broken. The look on the man’s face caused Obi-Wan’s heart to ache. “Ben.” He said, heart in his throat.

“I am your fate, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi who failed.” The figure spoke.

Obi-Wan only smiled, shaking his head. “No. You are not. Already my life is far different.”

“Ah yes, Obi-Wan Kenobi, High General of the Grand Army of the Republic, Sith Slayer. Master of Siths and Never-Jedi.” The figure twisted, forming another vestige of himself, an echo, a whisper, a possible form that may still never be. His hair was long, tied high on his skull and pooling over his shoulders, beard trimmed neatly across his jaw. Two sabers rested on his hips, hands behind his back. He was truly the figure of a Jedi. 

“The war is never certain.”

“The Clone Wars are always certain.” The figure nearly yelled, fire in it’s eyes. “Your fate is in stone, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You will always loose!”

Obi-Wan could almost hear Qui-Gon’s voice in his ear, easing the spike of fear that surged within his chest. Guidance he had always been told from the Master. “The future is always in motion. Perhaps, I will always loose.” Obi-Wan stepped closer to the form, resting a flat hand on it’s chest. “But never, will I give up.”

The Obi-Wan smiled, it’s smile twisting into something unnatural, something dark. “But you are not strong enough.” That smile grew and grew, devouring itself, and fading into blackness. 

Obi-Wan continued on, knowing he should feel accomplished, but he couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t over. It has been too easy, though it left him with an acute sense of unease. He walked on for nearly another twenty minutes before he heard the sound of a saber ignite behind him. He didn’t turn, only paused. He wasn’t meant to ignite his saber here… that much he could feel. If he were to ward off this figure, he would need to do it without his blade. “Why don’t you face me, Obi?” The voice was cold, familiar. He could feel the way those blue eyes bore into his spine, the purple light dancing across dark roots that surrounded us.

“Why did you embrace the dark, Xanatos?” Obi-Wan asked, still not facing the man behind him. He didn’t know what form this Xanatos would bare. Would he be the handsome and regal Xanatos Du Crion Obi-Wan remembered? Would he be twisted from the acid he had thrown himself into?

“Why do you reject it?”

“Because it is not my way.” Obi-Wan said, finally turning to that voice, looking upon Xanatos’ beautiful form. His hair long and raven black, pale face still as alluring as it had once been. Eyes that cool blue that reminded Obi-Wan that the man was no Sith. Darkened, yes, but no Sith. “I wish we could have saved you, Xanatos.”

To that, it seemed, the trial could find no response. Xanatos’ face twisted in anger, as it had in life, and he raised his blade. “I did not need saving!”

“You weren’t always dark, Xanatos Du Crion. Regardless of your birth father, you were not born into his evil. The sins of the father are not of the son. I wish I could have helped you.” Obi-Wan stepped closer to Xanatos, who it seemed only grew more angry. 

“You were a child! You have no right to think you were capable-”

“Capable? Right? Xanatos, I regret the lost chance, I may not have been able to, but I wish I could have tried. I wish our paths would have crossed, I wish I could have offered you something.” Obi-Wan said, smiling to the man. “I wish you had more than just Qui-Gon Jinn to hold you from the dark, just as I wish the Anakin of this time had more than just Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

To this, Xanatos only grew angrier, raising his lightsaber to strike true. “You cannot strike me down here, Xanatos. You are no longer here.” It was like a cool wind blowing past, Xanatos’ form dissolving into smoke and leaving a salty taste on Obi-Wan’s lips, dampness at his eyes. The cave grew brighter, a natural darkness falling upon him. The trial was complete, and he was now left with no choice but to move forward.

 

“She told us to wait.” Rey admitted, looking to Luke who they had found elbows deep in repairs. “But we’ve talked about it between us and we…”

“Master.” Finn’s voice was firm in his resolve, mouth forming the word without hesitation and hairs on the back of his neck raising at the rightness of it. “Who was Mara Jade?”

Luke stopped everything, letting out a heavy sigh. “Leia was right.” His voice was gruff as he pulled his hands from the depths of the panel system. “You should have waited… But I will tell you. If for no other reason than to have to words be said.”

Finn and Rey sat as Luke turned to them, and the man looked both older and so much younger in the same moment. “Mara Jade was my wife.” The statement was like a slap in their faces, an unexpected answer, a bitter and painful truth.

“Raised under the Imperial Yoke, Mara Jade was strong in the force, and so incredibly beautiful. When I first met her, she bore a red saber, and with an order to kill me.”

And they could see her.

 

_ Deep red hair, falling in thick locks across her shoulders and down her back, the leather she wore tight and dark, bringing her pale skin out in stark contrast. “You don’t want to kill me, Mara.” Luke’s voice was so much younger, and Mara’s smile was absolutely feral.  _

_ “Oh you have no idea just how much I truly do want to kill you, Skywalker.” _

 

“She had so much more power than Palpatine could really control, his only hold over her was truly the fact he had been the one to raise her from her birth. It was almost too easy for the seed of intent and order he planted in her mind to be removed, the trauma that shaped her view of life itself? That took much more time for her to overcome. It was Leia who helped with that. 

“I was surprised at how well they got on. Even Han… Even Han grew to love her as a sister, and I pined like a fool for years as she worked with the Republic, and eventually with the Jedi… We were married on this base.”

Finn could feel the words carving directly into his heart. The grief and pain a fresh wound at only the prospect of losing someone and then being returned to that place of happiness after some sort of final closure. And right after leaving Obi-Wan on Dagobah. He didn’t know Obi-Wan, only seen some of his teaching Rey, but the departure Luke gave him made Finn’s heart ache, eyes glancing to Rey at his side. All he could think of was waking in that Med Bay without Rey. 

“I never lost hope that those in the dark could be turned… not until Ben. It was too personal. My sister’s son, the darkness in him Snoke had already planted, in the face of that there was nothing I could do. I went against what I knew from personal experience, I was blinded by my own mistakes is missing it as it grew and flourished under my neglect.” Luke laughed bitterly, rubbing at his eyes. “She would have hit me for being stupid. People make choices, it was not mine that had Ben turn to the dark. It was his own choice. I only hope that now we can help him choose to come back.”

Rey looked to Finn, locking eyes with him. She had her doubts, Ben was evil, he chose to continue being evil, even Finn… Looking into Finn’s eyes she saw the difference. Finn was one in thousands of Stormtroopers, not the special attention of a powerful Sith dictator. She didn’t like the fact, but there was excuse for him to continue his evil and still have hope he would change. Finn looked to Luke again, and gave a small smile. “Isn’t it time to start my training, Master Luke?”

 

Everything felt upside down, though Obi-Wan could recognize the feeling. He was going deeper and deeper into Dagobah. Into a tomb. The tunnel formed into the mouth of a cave, a hole with no other entrance or exit than where Obi-Wan stood. Stone formations rose from the center of the cave, marking his destination rather easily. “This is it, isn’t it?” He spoke, feeling Yoda’s presence next to him again. 

“Passed the trial, you have.” Yoda said, tone congratulatory. 

“Perhaps to a different me it would have been a real trial… though it certainly left me with things to think about. It seemed almost frustrated. It knew it was too easy. This, however? I don’t think this will be easy at all.”

Yoda shook his head, humming. “Easy, it will not be. Here to help you, I am. Without his anchor point, lost the Sith will be. Destroy it we must, then destroy him we can.”

“Anchor point?” Obi-Wan asked, looking down to the Old Troll. “You mean like the bond you put in my mind?”  
Yoda hummed and looked to the stones before them. “Not quite. Similar, yes, but the same they are not. Imprint part of themselves onto their tombs, the Sith do. A bond and form of location, I created with you, different it is. Same in theory, but different, very different in practice. Similar they are, that only those dead can form anchor points. Different that a part of me is not within you.”

Obi-Wan nodded in understanding, looking to the stones again. “So… we have to destroy it.”

“Destroy it, we must.”

Obi-Wan sighed again, a deep frown forming on his face. “Do or do not.” He murmured to himself, dispelling his thoughts of doubt. They either will, or they will not succeed. The darkness of the force here pressed down on him to the point it was almost painful. 

“Into yourself you must look, light there, you will find.” Yoda murmured, and listen to Yoda, Obi-Wan did. 

Obi-Wan eased himself through his own shields, and there he did find light. His own light, a warmth the Force blessed him with and he nurtured through his life. Though there were no shortage of trials, Obi-Wan always did what nurtured that light within himself, and there he found strength now. He could feel a rumbling around himself, something awaking. “Do it now we must!” Yoda pressed into Obi-Wan’s mind. “Open it, you must.”

Yoda didn’t need to explain, his words came with understanding inside of Obi-Wan’s mind. He let his shields drop and pushed.

 

Luke blinked his eyes open from meditation and looked to the clouded sky. The sun hardly peaked through the clouds and across Rey and Finn as they meditated. Rey opened her eyes as well, looking to Luke. She felt it to. Obi-Wan was alive, and through the bonds he shared, there was pure golden light. He would have to ask her later what she could see through that metaphysical light, though he could see the gold that hinted in Obi-Wan’s hair when the sun hit it just right. 

Obi-Wan could feel Rey and Luke at the edges of his bonds, the light flooding out to them, he was acutely aware of Yoda at his side and that anchor point flaring in his mind. He could feel that darkness stirring awake, and he could also feel that he wasn’t strong enough to destroy the tomb with the Force. Not completely, not the way it needed to be.  _ “Help me… Lend me your strength.” _

 

_ “Lend me your strength…” _ And Luke did, nodding to Rey. They closed their eyes again and reached across their bonds. 

 

Rey’s light felt like standing next to an open flame, a heat that made one aware of the cold at their back, bright and strong, though often needing stoked. Luke’s light flowed down their bond like water, like the hot springs on Carosi XII. Yoda was steady like the earth beneath his boots. He could feel that darkness waking, but with those he loved at his back, he could face it. Opening his eyes, reaching out with his hands and the force, he watched as the stone before him cracked. One great crack through the stone was only the beginning. Like a web, it grew, stone trembling and falling to the dirt, only to disintegrate more. 

It was almost as though he could see it, see the light flow from his very flesh and surround him. Then there was the screaming, pure anger and hatred. 

_ “Do you know what you have done!” _

“Destroyed the anchor point, we have. A physical form, you no longer can conjure.” Yoda announced, his tone fierce and final. Truth solid under the words. 

“We must purify the tomb now, Master.” Obi-Wan said, turning to the Force Ghost of the Grand Master. They wouldn’t be able to completely rid the Universe of the Sith Ghost, but purifying the tomb would succeed in weakening it. Soon, be in years or less, the Ghost would have nothing to tether it to the Universe and would fade. Obi-Wan knew it like he knew he would see his time again. It was a distant fact, something he almost felt he was born knowing. 

The Sith lashed out, and with it’s remaining power it succeeded in landing a blow on Obi-Wan, though he simply dropped to his knees to meditate. Blood began trickling down his cheek, but he didn’t even wipe it away. With his bonds still open, he called upon his padawan and partner again, letting their light and warmth steady him and refill his reserves. “I am Jedi”

Wind whipped past him as he began the meditation, forcing his eyes closed and buffering against his ears to kill the sound of it to himself.

“The light is my strength, The Force is my ally, I am a Light against the Darkness, Life over Destruction.” He continued, feeling his hair whip around his head, stinging as it struck the wound on his cheek. He could feel that forceful wind drag tears from his eyes across his temples. He could also feel the light warming his skin against the cold wind. “I am a Guardian of Peace, and I bring Light.” 

Obi-Wan opened his eyes, fierce light in them and shining off his very skin. “I find myself in a Dark place, but the Light will push back the shadows.” The wind slowly died with the screeching of the Sith against the Force Light Obi-Wan summoned. Once the tomb fell quiet and still, the light dimmed and faded.

“I am of the Light, and I carry it with me always.”

 

Rey felt her master’s shields falling over their bond again, and slumped. “Master Skywalker?” She nearly whispered, looking to the master before her. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Finn asked, pulled from his meditation by her voice.

Luke rubbed his eyes, trying to brush aside his exhaustion with the motion. It drained him as physically as it seemed to have drained Obi-Wan’s padawan. “Obi-Wan faced the Sith Ghost.” He explained, looking between his own Padawan and Rey. “He needed our assistance, and through our bonds we were able to provide that help…”

“It looks like it drained you both.” Finn said, wary.

“Force Light.” Luke said suddenly, ignoring the padawans’ noises of confusion. “The tactic Obi-Wan used. It’s Force Light. It’s always draining, you’re bringing your inner Light in the Force into a physical being. By the way it felt… it was Obi-Wan’s first time using such a tactic… It may be some time before we see him again still.”

 

Obi-Wan leaned over, hands in the soft dirt before him. His breathing was heavy, and he hardly felt the tingle of Yoda’s claw on his shoulder. “Well you did.”

He couldn’t help be laugh that forced itself from his throat. “In the dirt, I am.” 

“In the dirt or not, successful we were.” Yoda continued with a huff. “Rest you must, then return to your Padawan you can.”

Obi-Wan only grumbled in response, already feeling his exhaustion take hold. The last place he wanted to sleep was this tomb, but it seemed as though he had no choice, slumping down to his side.

 

“Are we sure?” Poe demanded, leaning forward on the communications array. “That means they tracked up through hyperspace. We haven’t been on base long enough for them to have tracked us by any other means.”

“That’s not possible.” Rey argued, eyes wide before looking to Finn. “Isn’t it?”

“But they’ve done it.” Finn said, frowning at the floor. “I knew they were looking into ways to do it, hells, even the Empire was back in the day. But if they finally managed…”

“They would only be tracking us from one ship, wouldn’t they?” Luke piped up, looking to his sister, Leia sitting in silence, gazing out the window.

“They would have to, but if we take out that one ship they’d just start tracking us from another ship.” Finn said, crossing his arms. “Do we even have time to argue semantics?”

Poe shrugged, looking up from the feed he was scanning. “We hacked into their communications before they jumped to hyperspace. I think it’s their first time using it. We need to scramble our codes, have everyone sync up to new codes. It won’t be a permanent fix, but it’ll be enough to keep the First Order from tracking us for another jump.”

“We need to take out that tracker somehow though!” Rey protested, looking frantically from Poe to Leia. “What will we do about that?”

Leia looked up to Rey, then to Finn. “What will we do, Finn?”

Finn blinked, eyes wide. “Um… W-Well the only way to get it down would be to get on-ship. We’d need a code breaker who could get us through to it, then we’d have to… well shut it down somehow.”

Finn’s words were met with silence. “What then?” Luke asked, arms crossed. “They would just boot it back up. This is bigger than just getting out this once, think of the long-term. We have to find the one who made that breakthrough, get into the First Order systems and completely destroy their information on in-hyperspace tracking, or steal it and use it for our own use.”

“Another Rogue One.” Leia whispered, eyes growing wide. “Rogue One had a 100% casualty rate.”

“We don’t even have that information. Who created it? Where does the First Order keep their blueprints? Who all knows how to make it?” Poe bit out, slamming his hand against the communications array. 

Silence descended on them again before Leia turned her head and looked to Lieutenant Connix. “Get all our codes changed, have everyone sync up. Get everyone ready for evacuation we have twelve hours at the most. Get it done.”

“Yes General.” Connix said, nodding and turning on her heel.

“We need to get through this now. We need to get off planet and send out a distress signal. Use my code. If there’s anyone out there to listen, they’ll come.”

Poe nodded, hands moving quickly across the buttons. “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about if the First Order catches this distress call. They already know where we’re at.”

“What about the rest of Black Squadron? We’re still missing six fighters from the squad.” Finn asked, realization dawning. “And Master Obi-Wan.”

“I’m making sure that their fighters will be able to receive the call as well, and I’m sending it to my own X-Wing and BB-8. They’ll get them.” Poe assured, taking a deep breath and standing straight. “Now we have to do what we can on this end.” 

Leia nodded, looking at Poe with something unreadable in her face. “And we will.”

 

Obi-Wan woke in the dirt, something thrumming under his skin that still wouldn’t fade. It was like adrenaline but non-biological. It was remaining strength from the Force, and it felt like it was trying to settle itself into his muscles and blood. “Sith.” He cursed, rubbing his eyes.

Standing was an exercise in held breath and expectation, though he succeeded with no issue. He expected some sort of pained and exhausted Force Hangover, but he only felt… light. That small buzz remained under his skin but he almost felt as though there was no gravity resistance against him at all. Shaking his head, he turned and faced his way to the surface. “Now to find my way back…”

 

Yoda was waiting at the mouth of the tree when Obi-Wan flinched against the brightness of the sun through the trees. “Leave now, you must. Needed elsewhere you are.” His voice was sad, almost lonely.

Obi-Wan smiled at the Old Troll and knelt down to him. “Guide me, Master.”

Yoda huffed, slapping Obi-Wan’s shins with his Gimer Stick, the man letting out a quiet giggle at the tingling sensation. 

 

“I’m getting replies from BB-8!” Poe exclaimed with a grin. “He’s disgruntled, something about a dirty red haired guy picking up the X-Wing without his hands. It sounds like Master Obi-Wan is getting off Dagobah.”


	6. Hyperspace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan didn’t speak as Luke lead then to a small birth, the door sliding shut behind them. They made no motion to turn on the lights as they moved further into the private room. “Luke…” Obi-Wan breathed out the man’s name, reaching out and cupping his jaw. “Don’t show me affection only when you might lose me.”  
> Wrapping arms around Obi-Wan’s waist, Luke felt just how small the man was. Built for flying and fighting, years of experiences he had no idea of. “Never.” Luke promised, bringing his lips to Obi-Wan’s, feeling his heart swell in his chest, choking his very core with nerves and thrill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is much shorter than the others because it didn't feel right to add any more. It is what it is.

“Hold still, Master Luke.” Rey hissed, frowning. “You’re the one who insisted on this.”

“Yes, but I also don’t want you to cut my ear off!” Luke complained, frowning deeply as he heard another ‘snip’ too close to his ear for comfort.

“I’m not going to cut your ear off, you fool.” She grumbled, running her fingers through Luke’s hair, letting it fall naturally again before making another snip. “I’m almost done anyway. Are you going to shave off that mess on your jaw too?”

“No.” Luke said, bringing a hand to his jaw and rubbing his hand across the hair found there. “I may trim it though…”

“That would be a good idea.” Rey said, smiling as she brushed hair from his shoulder. “I’m done, now go give yourself a look.”

Luke stood, looking to Rey and smiling slightly. “How do you think I look?”

Rey smiled, resting her hands on her hips. “Ten years younger. Your roots are much darker than the rest of your hair. The salt of the Island made your hair go whiter than Ky- Ben did.”

Luke’s smile wavered shortly, stepping past Rey into the fresher. The mirror didn’t lie, nor did Rey really. He did look much younger, and with a trim of his beard he would look much younger still. It was a small comfort, he was going back into the public eye, and closer to his heart, he would also be seeing Obi-Wan again, and he hoped it would be soon. Obi-Wan was…  _ young _ . Young enough that it kept Luke up at night worrying over himself. Obi-Wan was so wise beyond his years that it was easy to forget that he was in his twenties. A man, yes, but so blasted young compared to Luke’s age. No matter what the younger man had seen. 

His com bleeped, drawing his attention from his face to the greater Universe. “Skywalker.” He answered, eyes narrowing, face growing serious.

“Luke, it’s Wedge. Poe’s fighter dropped from hyperspace and is requesting to land. We’ve cleared everything for him, we have two hours max to finish evac.” 

“Understood, thank you Wedge.”

Now that he knew what to look for, Luke could feel Obi-Wan’s proximity in the Force. He was a bright light with no shortage of frustration he was attempting to purge into the Force.  _ Obi-Wan. _

 

Obi-Wan landed in the hanger smoothly, but with no shortage of comments from BB-8 and mumbled vulgarity from himself. “Obi-Wan!” Poe nearly cheered once the cockpit was open. “Where’s my droid?”

Luke watched Obi-Wan pull himself from the cockpit, clearly in need of a trip to the sonics, blood, mud, and general dirt caked to him. The X-Wing dropped BB-8 to the ground where the droid wheeled into Poe’s arms, bleating out droid a parsek a second. “Commander.” Leia spoke from behind Luke, bringing the Jedi back to himself. “Report.”

Obi-Wan bowed, face serious. “The Knight got away. She was very skilled, and I warn she is completely Sith. I managed to remove her helmet. Her eyes are Sith gold.” Silence fell across the hanger. “Once Commander Dameron was off planet she retreated, he was without a doubt her target. After that it took time for me to recover from my wounds, then my attentions were taken by a remnant of the Sith that was woken by her presence there. Once the Sith Ghost was felled, I recovered Commander Dameron’s X-Wing and droid…” Obi-Wan spared a glance to BB-8 who made the droid equivalent of blowing a raspberry and turned his head away from the Jedi. “Once BB-8 relayed the distress call we set course immediately. How much time do we have until the First Order is upon us?”

“Less time than we would like.” Leia admitted, crossing her arms. “We have one hour to complete evacuations. I want to be gone by the time they arrive. We have information that the First Order can track us through hyperspace now. We’ve been scrambling our codes to make it more difficult, but they will manage to track us again soon. We’ve selected a new base, your padawan has already planned a course through the Falcon. Get to a fresher and be ready to evacuate.”

“Yes ma’am.” Obi-Wan responded, bowing again and looking to Luke, a smile blooming over his face. “Hello there.”

Luke was a man who always prided himself in… well being a strong Jedi who normally wouldn’t feel his heart in his stomach and weakness in his knees over a man smiling at him. Even if that man was Obi-Wan coated in blood and dirt, but  _ Sith _ . That did nothing to stop it from happening. “I like the haircut.” Obi-Wan admitted, smiling and reaching out to brush back the soft locks of hair. 

“Get in the Sonics, Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Luke said, a smile settling on his face. “I believe your padawan would like to be able to actually see your face when she sees you. And not be assaulted by the smell of swamp.”

Obi-Wan let out a faux offended gasp. “I marinated for days in swamp juice just for her, how dare she.” He teased, stepping back from Luke. 

“I’ll go with you. Someone needs to get your robes clean while to clear yourself of that filth.” The older Jedi said, letting himself grin at Obi-Wan. 

 

“We need to lift off.” Poe said, tone hard and final. “We’ve held off as long as we can justify. Another twenty minutes and the First Order could drop out of Hyperspace right on top of us.”

“I’ll get Master Luke and Master Obi-Wan.” Finn said, turning just to be stopped by the sight of the Jedi.

“No need, Padawan.” Luke said, smiling to Finn. “Wedge comm’d me to let me know the first of the fleet has evacuated. I knew we were short of time when I heard that. Are we the last out?”

Poe nodded, looking around the nearly empty hanger. “We might actually get out in time.” Poe sounded almost relieved, but there were still lines of stress on his face that wouldn’t fade until they were back in hyperspace. “But we can’t linger. Lets get out of here.”

Luke nodded, looking to Obi-Wan’s back as he approached Poe. “Commander Dameron.” Obi-Wan’s voice was firm and enough to take Poe off guard. “Once we are in some sort of safety, I would like to speak to you about your relationship with Ben Solo.”

Poe nearly went white, as white as his complexion would allow. “BB-8 can pilot my X-Wing to the next base…”

“See it done, Commander.” Obi-Wan said simply, giving Poe a short bow before moving past him and up the ramp into the Falcon.

 

“Master!” Rey grinned and threw herself at Obi-Wan once she saw him. “You’re safe! You’re here!”

Obi-Wan cupped the back of her head and held her, a smile on his own face. “Yes, I am. Now lets get ready to lift off, Padawan. We’re almost out of time.”

Rey released her master and nodded, turning back to the cockpit and sitting herself into the pilot’s chair. Obi-Wan watched from a short distance, letting his expression grow pensive. There was much for him to meditate on, but first he needed answers from the humans around him before he would ask the Force for clarity on their answers. “Commander.” Poe’s voice was steady, militaristic behind him. “My X-Wing has reached hyperspace. We’re the only ones left on planet.”

Obi-Wan nodded, hands clasped behind his back. “Padawan.” Rey looked back to him, eyes scanning over his posture and Poe’s presence behind him before nodding.

“Yes, Master.”

 

Luke couldn’t help but be curious, but he knew that whatever Obi-Wan had to ask Poe would be shared if Obi-Wan found it important. There was no need to neb into the man’s relationship with Ky- Ben. He moved to the hold where he saw Finn attempting to meditate in front of R2-D2. “Padawan?” Luke spoke, taken aback by Finn’s dedication.

Finn looked up, a frown on his face. “Yes, Master Luke?”

Luke knew that expression. It was the same one he wore when Yoda tried to make him both use and restrict his skill with the Force. “What bothers you, Padawan mine?” Luke asked, nudging R2 lightly and waiting for the droid to move before he settled onto lotus before Finn. 

Finn let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. “I’m… not strong in the Force, Master. Not like Rey, Master Obi-Wan, or you. I’m… I can’t even lift anything with it!”

Luke only smiled at his Padawan. “Finn. Tell me the truth of your time in the First Order.”

Finn blinked and looked away in shame. So he had been found out. “I didn’t mean to lie Master I-”

“I’m not upset, Finn. I just need you to say it. It will help you understand who you’re struggling to grasp your skills in the Force.”

Finn took a breath, letting his eyes close to help ground him… and to not have to look Luke Skywalker in the eye. “I was… one of their best. Phasma told me that one day if I continued on the track I would become an Officer. I… Did well there. I took their commands and technology and I improved under their guidance and rules I-”

Finn stopped abruptly, looking up to Luke in shock. “All you ever knew were their rules, their form of order, their schedule. We need to work together, Padawan. We need to find the training regimen that works for you, and for you to understand that what the First Order taught you can be useful. You know how war works, you have an advantage of knowing their ways, but you also need to learn the ways of the Jedi.

“Together we will be able to get you to lift rocks.” Luke teased, reaching out and squeezing Finn’s shoulder. 

Finn gave a shaky smile, nodding to his Master. 

 

“Commander.”

“Please stop calling me that, Poe.” Obi-Wan said, sitting down in the small quarters he had claimed for their meeting. “Call me Obi-Wan, like you did when you saw me arrive at the base. You’re not reporting to an upper here, you’re sharing a part of yourself with a man who just wants to help.”

Poe remained silent, standing before the Jedi who seemed to be making himself comfortable. They remained in stalemate for minutes, solid minutes of staring each other down before Obi-Wan nodded. “I see. Let me give you context then.”

Poe said nothing, watching as Obi-Wan crossed his legs and took a deep breath. “The Knight of Ren who was hunting you, as I shared with General Leia, was the strongest of the Knights. She also was hunting you almost exclusively. Once she realized you were off planet she retreated. She also isn’t the best with shielding.

“She projected a sort of vindictive desire for you, something about true interrogation. She believes Kylo Ren went easy on you when he interrogated you. She believes there is some sort of connection between yourself and Kylo Ren. Something that will keep him in the light. A weakness if you will. To them at least.”

Poe’s face was unreadable, but Obi-Wan didn’t need to read his face. The waves that rolled off him into the Force was more than enough to tell him there was some sort of information he was missing. “Please, sit down.”

At Obi-Wan’s offer, Poe slumped onto the bed next to the man. “I… Ben and I grew up together… before Luke took him to be a Jedi. My parents were part of the Rebellion before the Empire fell and joined the Resistance as soon as Leia asked. We were… We were close. He would write letters, on real paper, and send them to me after his training started. I could see the changes in him through those letters… I warned Luke, I told him something was changing in Ben. I told him there was something new, something dark in him.” Poe pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a shaky sigh.

“The next thing I know Luke tells us the temple was burning and his students had been slaughtered. Dozens of Jedi students… Who could have attacked them without getting immediately killed other than one of their own? We knew it had to have been Ben…”

Obi-Wan offered a hand to Poe’s shoulder, but the man slapped it away. “I managed to avoid Kylo Ren until Jakku. He took me onto that ship and forced himself into my mind. The whole time I was begging him to stop, to come back to us. When he didn’t I knew Ben Solo was dead. There is no Ben Solo anymore.” Poe growled out, glaring at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan nodded, looking to his boots and sucking on his bottom lip for a moment, clearly debating his next words. “Just as there was no more Anakin Skywalker.”

To that, Poe stilled. “What?”

“Darth Vader. I know Luke didn’t share the full truth with… pretty much anyone, but I have to tell you.” Obi-Wan said, not moving from his position. 

“Darth Vader was Luke and Leia’s father. Anakin Skywalker was the padawan of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Twisted by Darth Sidious until his mind was no longer his own. Sidious promised Anakin that he could keep Anakin’s wife alive, save her from death and that they could be together forever.” Obi-Wan looked to Poe, eyes dark. “Sidious lied. With Padme’s last breath she was sure there was still light in Anakin. Even the Obi-Wan of your world didn’t believe it… Luke did. Luke wasn’t completely positive, but he knew he had to try. He had to have faith that a man who was not born of darkness could return to the light.”

“And he killed him.” Poe said, eyes narrowing.

Obi-Wan smiled and shook his head. “No. Sidious killed him, as Anakin killed Sidious. Luke did not take a single life that day. He gave Anakin the choice, a choice Anakin hadn’t truly had until then, and Anakin struck against Sidious.”

Obi-Wan and Poe stared at each other for long minutes before Poe had to look away from those brilliant blue eyes. “We need to find a way to give Ben that choice too. While Snoke has his hold of Ben’s mind so completely he doesn’t have one. His choice now is to obey or to die, or worse.”

“Will you help us?”

 

“Well done, Rey!” Luke applauded, grinning as Rey and Finn sparred. “You’re doing well heeding your Master’s advice.”

Finn grit his teeth at the force of the blow Rey landed her Lightstaff against his saber. “Damn, Rey. Can’t you ease up a little bit?” Finn laughed, recentering himself as they circled each other.

“Oh come on Mr. Big Deal, can’t handle the heat?” Rey teased, spinning the staff in her hands and readying herself for another attack. 

“A smart defense, Finn.” Obi-Wan said, stepping through the doorway into the hold. “One I’ve used many a time.”

Rey refused to let her Master distract her and pressed her attack, eyes widening as Finn pivoted and attacked with hidden force. Rey landed on her back, his saber at her neck, eyes wide. “What.”

Obi-Wan laughed and applauded as Poe approached Luke. “Always be wary of your opponent, Padawan, even when they seem exhausted. It’s easy to play weak and exhausted to give yourself an advantage. Always assume your opponent is stronger than they are. Never let down your own defense.”

Finn offered Rey a hand, grinning down at her. She blinked up at him for a moment before taking his hand and letting him help her up. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but shake his head, recognizing that expression. He hoped it wouldn’t take too long for her to realize the feelings she was having for her fellow Padawan were of the romantic sort. He would have to ready himself for some form of  _ the talk _ .

Looking from the Padawans to where Luke and Poe spoke in hushed tones and let out a long sigh. It seemed he would have to get used to sighing. He was doing it an awful lot lately. “Rey.” He spoke up, waving for her to come to him.

Once Rey was standing before him he glanced toward Poe and Luke agin. “Poe is… generally on board with our attempts to turn Ben back to the Light, but he will need someone who has also been on the other end of his blade to talk to. You and he have both been in that position. Be ready for when he approaches you.”

Rey looked to the men again and nodded. “I understand. I… Master do you really think we can bring Ben back to the Light?’

Obi-Wan looked to his Padawan again, scanning her blue eyes and set expression. Her doubt was clear but there was also a small hint of hope. “We have to at least try, Padawan. If we only respond to the dark by trying to destroy it, it will only return feeling justified.”

“That… doesn’t sound like the Old Jedi, Master.” Rey admitted, a brow raised. 

Obi-Wan nodded and glanced over to Luke again. “No. It doesn’t. But I’m old enough to know that wisdom can be found in others more than in ancient texts.” 

Rey followed Obi-Wan’s gaze, watching as Luke pulled Poe into his arms and held the younger man. “Forgiveness sometimes helps, but not always. Giving the person a chance to prove themselves is often more powerful than empty forgiveness.”

 

“You told Poe about Vader?” Luke approached Obi-Wan in the kitchenette as the younger man drank his tea. 

Obi-Wan looked up at the Jedi before him, as there was no doubt that’s what Luke was anymore. All hesitation was gone and Luke reclaimed his title in the eyes of all. Saber on his hip and dawned in his dark robes again, Luke Skywalker had truly returned. “Yes. I told Poe about Vader.”

Luke stopped short, unsure of what to say after that. Obi-Wan made no effort to explain why, almost daring him to ask. Instead, Luke just looked over the young Jedi before him. Legs crossed, recovered robes perfectly in place, hair tied back in a small knot at the base of his skull, Obi-Wan looked almost regal. He had settled into his command position with ease and experience, enough that Luke almost found himself sure Obi-Wan had seen the Clone Wars himself, not only read about them. “Sit down, Luke. You’re making me nervous.”

The words made Luke smile, settling down next to Obi-Wan. “I’m not sure you can feel nervous, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Obi-Wan shook his head, raising his cup of tea to his lips again. “Don’t be silly, Luke. I do feel nervous. I’m nervous about all of this, on edge as much as everyone else. How will we manage to recover all of the information we need to be able to even survive the next base’s evacuation? If they can track us through hyperspace they may even think to combine it with gravity wells to pull us out of hyperspace and destroy us before we even get a chance to prepare. We can’t spend every moment on high-alert.” 

Luke shook his head. He had also thought of that, but Obi-Wan voicing it was even more disconcerting. It made it sound almost iminent. “No, we can’t.”

“We can’t risk another Rogue One. Yes, I heard about the thought of sending a squad to find those plans. We’re too few a number already.” Obi-Wan said, looking to Luke’s eyes, and there Luke could see it. The  _ fear _ that hid beneath the Jedi facade. If they couldn’t turn Kylo Ren to the light, there may be no hope for the Resistance. 

Luke stood, offering a hand to Obi-Wan. “Come with me, Obi-Wan.” His voice was soft, enough that Obi-Wan put his cup down and reached out to Luke’s soft but strong hand.

Obi-Wan didn’t speak as Luke lead then to a small birth, the door sliding shut behind them. They made no motion to turn on the lights as they moved further into the private room. “Luke…” Obi-Wan breathed out the man’s name, reaching out and cupping the man’s jaw. “Don’t show me affection only when you might lose me.”

Wrapping arms around Obi-Wan’s waist, Luke felt just how small the man was. Built for flying and fighting, years of experiences he had no idea of. “Never.” Luke promised, bringing his lips to Obi-Wan’s, feeling his heart swell in his chest, choking his very core with nerves and thrill. 

“Make me feel alive.” Obi-Wan whispered against Luke’s lips, trailing his fingers up the back of his neck and into those silver-brown locks. 

“You are alive, Obi-Wan.” Luke answered, squeezing the man to his chest. “And we will continue to live. Let’s make it worth it.”

_ “Yes.” _

 

Rey sat in lotus in the hold, Finn to her right and Poe across from her. They sat in silence as they hurtled through hyperspace, closer to whatever awaited them there. “Can we actually do this?” Poe asked, voice quiet. “Normally I don’t want to know the odds but… Leia has been beating leadership in my head. We… It’s a huge risk and undertaking to try and get those plans. We can’t go like Rogue One, alone and with little backup.”

“We don’t even know where the plans are being held, or who all knows how it works. We need to make sure it’s not recreated on us.” Rey said, looking from Poe to Finn. 

Finn crossed his arms, frowning. “The First Order isn’t like the Empire was. They don’t have a whole planet dedicated to holding information. It’s mostly within the system, it’s not held on plasts, it’s backed up onto their very systems. We would have to wipe… well everything.”

Poe cupped his chin in thought, frowning. “That… we would need a very good code breaker and hacker. Would we even be able to access that remotely?”

“Their system? Only if we have a very powerful receiver and have a primary ship, like Snoke’s, pretty much right on top of it. That and someone to hack into it.” Finn said, frowning.

“Well.” Rey spoke up. “It’s not like it would really be all that hard to get the enemy ship right on top of us. We’d just need to get Snoke’s attention specifically.”

“But where would we manage to find a receiver that powerful? I’m thinking the size of the one that was on Scarif before it was destroyed. Let alone someone to get into everything and delete it from all their systems, we also need to destroy the actual tracker on the ship.” Poe said, running a hand through his hair.

“I think I have an idea of someone who might know what we’re looking for…”

 

Luke watched as Obi-Wan pulled his robe over bare shoulders, tethering them together and reaching for his tabbards. “You already seem more relaxed.”

Obi-Wan let out a laugh, looking back at Luke as he lay still unclothed in the bunk. “Yes, sex tends to do that to someone.” He said, leaning over the older man and pressing his lips firmly to Luke’s. “Come on, Dearheart. Put some pants on before we drop from hyperspace.”

“Clothes won’t hide the smell completely.” Luke teased, sitting up and grinning at Obi-Wan’s sour look. 

“I will throw your boots at your face, Luke Skywalker.” Obi-Wan promised, unable to keep his serious expression in the face of Luke’s laughter. “Come on, before the Padawans find us like this.”

 

When they were fully clothed again, Obi-Wan opened the door just to watch his padawan running past. “Rey?”

She stuttered to a stop, only slightly sliding on the floor. “Master!” She said, grinning and turning to them, nose scrunching. “Congratulations?”

Obi-Wan frowned, willing the red away from his face. “Where are you running to?”

“I was trying to find you! I think we have a plan for the hyperspace tracker!” Rey answered, a fierceness to her face as she smiled at them. 

“How long do we have until we drop from hyperspace?” Luke asked, threading a thin strip of leather around his wrist. 

“About another hour.” Poe said, walking up to them with Finn by his side. “Enough time for us to flesh it all out a little more.”

Obi-Wan looked over Poe and nodded. “Would Leia approve?”

“Probably not.” Poe admitted, shrugging. “But it just might work.”

 

“General. The Falcon just dropped out of hyperspace.” 

Leia looked to the sky, watching the familiar lines of the Falcon swooping down toward them. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep things ready for another evacuation, just in case. We need to be prepared for them to be on top of us at any moment. 

 

“He was with us a total of one minute and twenty-six seconds.” Lorna said, looking at the Masters before him. 

“What was he talking about? Darth Sidious? Empire? How far out of time is he?” Mace asked, looking down to Yoda who only hummed, looking to the Coruscanti traffic out the window.

“Some time, it will be, until see Obi-Wan again we do.” Yoda spoke. “Rest, yes, rest we should. Feed the padawan, Qui-Gon should. Take care of ourselves we must.”


	7. Abeyance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The Starkiller Base did that well enough!” Poe protested, slamming his hand onto the Holo-Projector. 
> 
> “Not enough.” Leia responded, her tone calm. “Clearly not enough. We’re standing here in a base with only the barest staff and armory. Sometimes…” Leia looked to Luke, and he recognized that look. It was the look she gave him when he left for Dagobah. “We have to wait for the cavalry to be ready.”

“That’s suicide mission material.” Leia frowned shaking her head. “I don’t like it. We don’t even have someone to get into their system. We have no access to their codes, it’s ancient.”

“Ancient?” Luke asked, brows rising. “What do you mean ancient?”

“Codes the Rebellion couldn’t use because Vader. Old… Jedi codes…” Finn supplied, looking up to where Obi-Wan leaned against a communications array. “Ancient codes.”

“Things I might know?” Obi-Wan asked, an expression of surprise on his face. 

“Maybe. I know they changed them after I left and they couldn’t seem to kill me off.” Finn admitted, shrugging. “But I know they were based off things that had been abandoned by both the Empire and the Rebellion. No one would think they would use old codes from the Jedi Order.”

Luke nodded, looking over to Leia. “Admittedly, we wouldn’t have thought of that, and the Jedi codes were so private that they were abandoned as soon as Order 66 occured and they realized what was going on. Only Vader knew them after Old Ben died. It was probably one of Ben’s ideas to utilize. Once they realize who you are…”

“Well, it’s a good thing they don’t then.” Obi-Wan said, looking to Leia, trying to read herr expression. “What do you think?”

Leia was silent for a long moment before shaking her head. “I think it might be too good to be true. Even if you can get into their system we still have to get someone onto that ship to deactivate the system.. Would you be able to, Finn?”

In Finn’s defence, Luke thought, it was a very harrowing mission. He couldn’t blame his padawan for the daunted expression on his face. “Honestly? I could probably get someone to where it is, but I only have a certain extent of understanding on how it works. I don’t think I’d be all that helpful in it’s deactivation unless we were to just destroy it completely.”

“I appreciate your honesty, Finn.” Leia said, leaning back and sighing. “It sounds like we would need the plans to be able to understand how it works to be able to deactivate it.”

Silence fell around them for a long moment before Rey spoke up. “I think… I might know a way we could get that time.”

Luke felt something shift and suddenly Obi-Wan was standing straight, giving his padawan a level glare. “Absolutely not, Padawan. We are not ready for that.”

“But Master if I draw Ben out and let him capture me we have a way onboard, ability to track the ship, and a chance to press Ben.” Rey said, hands on her hips and matching Obi-Wan’s glare with one of her own.

“You’re not ready for that. What if he presents you to Snoke? Everything will be laid bare for Snoke to ruin.” Obi-Wan insisted, shaking his head and crossing his arms. “Absolutely not. We would need months if not years of training for you to be able to succeed with that, time we do not have.”

There was silence again, broken by the squeak of Leia’s seat. “There might be a way to buy us time…” 

Once Leia had their full attention, she sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. “If we temporarily disband the Resistance, get our well known members into hiding, or more training, keep contact between us all, we could make it seem like we’ve given up-”

“General, no.” Poe grit his teeth. “We can’t do that we have to-”

“Poe shut up.” Leia snapped. “I hate to say it as much as you hate to hear it, but there might not be anyone else coming to support us. We’re running out of options and out of time, we need to both give the people hope and enough time to be enraged at the First Order.  
“The Starkiller Base did that well enough!” Poe protested, slamming his hand onto the Holo-Projector. 

“Not enough.” Leia responded, her tone calm. “Clearly not enough. We’re standing here in a base with only the barest staff and armory. Sometimes…” Leia looked to Luke, and he recognized that look. It was the look she gave him when he left for Dagobah. “We have to wait for the cavalry to be ready.”

 

“Where will you go?” Leia asked, looking to Luke as the padawans readied the Falcon. 

“We can’t go back to the Island.” Luke said, cupping his chin. “Maybe Ossus, maybe not. I don’t know yet.” He admitted, looking up again to where Obi-Wan slid to Finn’s side, easing the man into the Force to have him lift supplies with it. “We need to leave fake trails like when I left the first time.”

“Where will you go?” He asked, turning to his sister, who only smiled. 

“I think I’d like to visit Maz for a while, last I heard she had a Union Dispute, but it should be quiet enough for now. I’ll keep moving, you know how I am.”

Luke smiled, pulling his sister into a tight hug. “Yes, yes I do… The tracker you left Rey… We can trace it both ways, right?”

Leia nodded, tugging up her sleeve and letting him glance at it’s soft blue glow. “That girl is very special. Almost like a daughter to me, you and that mate of yours will take good care of her.” She said, no question in her tone. It was an order.

Luke smiled again, nodding. “I don’t think my Padawan would let us do anything but.”

Leia nodded, patting her brother’s hand. “Get out of here, Luke Skywalker. Don’t let the First Order catch your scent.”

“May the Force be with you.” Luke whispered, pressing a kiss to Leia’s forehead. 

 

“General Leia has me going with her.” Poe said, making Obi-Wan turn to the man behind him. “Which I’m glad for, I want to make sure she doesn’t get herself into any more trouble. But…”

Obi-Wan gripped Poe’s shoulder, silently thankful that the man didn’t slap it away again. “I will do my best, Poe.” Obi-Wan promised. “When you see us again, we will be ready.”

Poe’s face scrunched up, nodding at Obi-Wan. “I… I miss Ben. I don’t know if there is any Ben left in Kylo Ren, but if you can bring him back, leave a spot in Snoke for me to fire my blaster through.”

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded, pulling Poe into a tight hug. “Take care of the General, Poe Dameron. It will not be too long until you see us again.”

 

Poe Dameron and Leia Organa watched The Millennium Falcon hit hyperspace and disappear from their sight. “Do you really think this is a good idea General? They won’t stop hunting us.”

“That’s not the point, Poe.” Leia said, looking to the man she would call a son. “The point is that they will have time to train and prepare, and so will we. The First Order may grow complacent in their power and rather than their roots growing deeper, they will be easier to topple. People will grow more discontent with the First Order and though I mourn the loss of life there will be, we will grow stronger and more united.”

“How will they find us?” Poe asked, frowning deeply.

Leia only smiled, looking to the sky again. “Just because we will not be waging a large-scale war does not mean we will stop. Wherever we go, do you really think we won’t keep helping others? They will find hope in the Resistance again.”

 

It took three months for them to find somewhere to settle into their training, acquiring new transport through labor and hard work, they stored the Falcon on Ossus, safe with the Yasanna, and settled into more subtle training. “I still think this was the worst place for you to choose. The Emperor’s home planet?” Finn hissed out, scowling. “You do know Phasma’s armor is made from his old Yacht, right?”

Obi-Wan only smiled, feeling the warm wind of Naboo blow across his skin and through his hair. “It’s also the home of Luke’s mother. Padme Amidala was a Queen of Naboo, and a Senator before the fall of the Republic.” He said, looking to Finn and Rey as they stepped into the grass. “We need to keep ourselves working here and earning our keep, remember now we’re citizens of the First Order. Naboo has… many surprises that will help us.” He said, catching a glance of Luke as the man stepped from the ship. 

Rey looked over the green grass and blue lakes, her hair catching in the wind and she could feel it. She could feel the rightness of the planet. That same mixture of light and dark as Dagobah, as the Island. It was where they were meant to be for now. 

“We need new names.” Luke said, handing Finn a new piece of plast. “Obi-Wan was smart enough to start on our new identities, and we need to finish them.” He said, handing another to Rey, glancing at the last two in his hands. “It seems you’ve already decided Bakleeda T’Jinn.” 

Obi-Wan smiled, catching the plast I.D. when Luke tossed it to him. “I can’t help but be prepared.” He said, shaking his head and pocketing it. 

“I have to choose another name?” Finn asked, narrowing his eyes at the plast in his hand. “I didn’t even come up with this one, Poe did. How can I just come up with another name?”

“I want to be Keera T’Jinn.” Rey said easily, smiling over to Obi-Wan. “I’ll be your sister, I’m only a few years younger than you.”

Obi-Wan raised a brow and smiled. “Careful, people will be mistaking us for being married rather than siblings, but if you’re ready for that awkwardness I have no problem with that name.”

Rey frowned at him, looking down to the plast and shrugging. “I can’t think of anything else so. I mean, I don’t have a last name as is.”

Obi-Wan pulled Rey into his arms and hugged her tightly. “I don’t mind that name, Keera.” He said, smiling and tugging her braid. “What about you, Luke?”

“Most of my old alises are already known…” He admitted, frowning. “But… Iltar Jade.”

Finn looked between them and frowned. “I… I can’t take any of your names… can I?”

Rey frowned, realizing just then that he wouldn’t be able to pass as family, not on this humanoid centered world. On certain worlds in the Outer Rim his skin tone would be overlooked as part of their family, but on Naboo? “Yes you can.” She said, face growing red. “They can’t think Master Obi-Wan and I are a couple if you’re my husband.”

Obi-Wan looked to Luke, brows raised and smile on his lips. “Oh?” He mouthed over Rey’s head to Luke, who’s shoulders shook in silent laughter.

“Rey I-”

“We can say we’re a Matriarchal family and that’s why you took my name.” She spat out quickly. “You’re one of us, Finn. You shouldn’t feel left out, and I don’t have a last name either so I know how-”

“Rey, get your foot out of your mouth.” Obi-Wan said quietly, smiling as Finn and Rey blushed at each other. “Luke and I will go into the city to try and find some real estate. You two can figure out names while we’re gone.”

 

The T’Jinn and Jade family became proud owners of a cheap home on the edge of the swamps. “Perfect.” Obi-Wan said, looking at the small two-bedroom cabin. “It’s secluded enough we can train, but close enough to the Gungans that we’re not exactly alone.”

“The who what?” Finn asked, frowning at Obi-Wan. 

“The Gungans.” Obi-Wan continued, using the new passkey on the door and letting himself into the cabin. “Native species, amphibian humanoid.” He explained, shrugging. “Assuming the Empire didn’t create another Holocaust.”

“What did you choose for your name, Finn?” Luke asked, smiling to him and taking the I.D.

“Galfridian T’Jinn.” Finn said, smiling.

“Gal. Good choice.” Luke said, smiling at his padawan and tugging his earlobe in place of a padawan braid. “Come on, let’s start moving in.”

 

It was two more months before their first visitor. A female Gungan who said her name was Jira. “Meesa see what yousa been doing.” She said, voice quiet as she sat across from Obi-Wan and Rey, Luke and Finn out on a smuggling run. “Long time since Jeedai weesa seen.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about, Jira.” Obi-Wan said smoothly, pouring her a glass of juice. “My sister and I are only working the land while our other halves are out working off-planet.”

Jira was clearly unconvinced. “Jira was little when the Clone Wars happened.” She said, voice quiet. “Wesa fought with Jeedai. Died with Jeedai. Wesa haven’t seen Jeedai since Senator Amidala died.”

“But wesa remember.”

Obi-Wan’s face grew serious, eyes moving to the table. “Considering you came to us instead of reporting us to the First Order, I feel there’s something you need from us.”

Jira shook her head, taking the juice he had presented her. “Wesa don’t need anything from the Jeedai. Wesa just want to know… When will wesa be free again?”

“Free?” Rey asked, brows furrowing. “Jira, where are your people? We only knew of the Gungans because Bak told us we may see you with how close we are to your city, but we haven’t seen any of you until now.”

“Wesa hiding.” Jira admitted, blinking at Rey, eyes turning to Obi-Wan. “Waiting. Wesa returned to the surface when the Empire fell, but wesa went into hiding when the First Order appeared. Knew the signs wesa did.”

“Support the Resistance, wesa wanted to, but reach them wesa couldn’t. Is it too late?” Jira asked, a fierce expression on her face.

Obi-Wan smiled, shaking his head. “It’s not too late, Jira. The Resistance will need support soon, but for now they’re hiding, scattered across the galaxy. When the time comes, the Gungans will know. Will you be willing to fight with the Resistance?”

Jira nodded and smiled. “Wesa be ready.”

 

“Leia told me the T’Jinn’s would be able to help me.” A young humanoid stumbled into the doorway of the T’Jinn family’s home six months after Jira’s first visit. 

“Keera!” Luke called out, watching as the man clutched his stomach and slumped against the doorframe. 

Rey darted to support the man, helping him through the entrance of the cabin. “Gal, bring us a medpack! He’s injured.” Luke continued, helping Rey lay the man out on their small couch. 

Finn rushed into the room, kneeling next to Rey and tugging on the man’s tunic. “She said… if I ever found myself in need of support in First Order space… You would be here.”

“What happened?” Rey asked, pushing back the wild strands of golden hair. 

“We’re-” The man hissed, shooting a dirty look to Finn who dabbed the blaster shot in his shoulder with Gungan ointment. “Different Rebel groups have been popping up across the Galaxy… We’re only one of them, but the Knights of Ren have been good about stomping us out like insects. We need help-”

“You need patience.” Obi-Wan spoke, water dripping from his hair and beard from the doorway. The door fell shut behind him with a quiet whoosh and he placed his boots next to it. “There will be a reckoning for the First Order, and it will come soon, but we still need to wait until we have a stronger, more concentrated power.” He reached to a towel and began wringing his hair with it. 

“Bakleeda.” Luke said, voice grave. “Don’t-”

“Luke.” Obi-Wan said, returning the serious look he was given. “If she’s sending the survivors to us, Leia knows they need some guidance while they heal.” His eyes shifted to the man being tended by their padawans. “What is your name, Soldier?”

The man gulped, frowning. “It’s Terra.”

Obi-Wan nodded, stepping closer to them. “You’re safe here, Terra. We’ll help you recover, but you can’t stay too long. We can’t draw attention to ourselves more than-”

“You’re hiding!” Terra accused, jolting up against the arms of Rey, who held him down with a grave expression.

“No-”

“Yes. We are.” Obi-Wan spoke over Rey’s denial. “We’re hiding, waiting, training. We’re biding our time until we can unite again and be ready.” 

Terra glared at the man still, tracking his movements into the other room before looking to the graying man. “You’re Luke Skywalker. Back to hiding again.” There was venom in his words, but Luke only shrugged it off, looking to his padawan.

“Don’t worry about our MedKit. I’ll harvest more to resupply soon.” Luke said simply, turning and following Obi-Wan into the other room.

Silence fell as Terra let Finn and Rey tend his wounds. “Why do you let them keep you here? I know you want to fight the First Order.” He asked Rey, reading her expression. 

“Because we need this time and training. Bakleeda’s right.” Finn said over Rey’s grave look. “We can’t win at the current power we have, and we have to be sneaky to survive until we really can do something against the First Order.”

Terra didn’t look from Rey’s face. He could see that she didn’t completely agree with that.

 

“I know what you’re planning.” Obi-Wan said, glancing to Rey as they gathered herbs in the swamp, knees deep in water.

Rey frowned, looking to her master with furrowed brows. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Master.”

Obi-Wan shook his head, releasing his frustration into the Force. “You’re not ready.” He said, tucking soaked leaves into a pouch on his belt. “Terra isn’t even fully healed, but the two of you aren’t the best at concealing anything. He won’t do well on this sort of mission, and you’re not ready. He’s only been with us a month, Padawan.”

“Are you going to try to stop us?” Rey asked, her hand twitching toward where her staff lay across her back.

Obi-Wan’s eyes were sad, aged. In that moment, Rey paused, realizing suddenly that she was about to strike out at her Master… and he was making no moves to stop her. “Padawan, mine.” He said, voice low as it carried across the swamp. “I will not stop you. Learn from our mistakes we do, I only hope that this one will not cost you what I’m afraid it will.”

“This isn’t a mistake. It’s doing what’s right! We can’t keep hiding like this! There are people out there who need our help and we have to do something for them!” Rey yelled, birds vacating their homes in the trees, startled. 

She stared up at the wings of the fleeing birds before the sound of water sloshing drew her eyes to her Master again. He was closer now, sadder. “I will ask you again, Rey. Don’t do this.”

Rey couldn’t help the swell of disdain that filled her chest. He didn’t look like a Jedi in that moment, robes discarded for the work tunics of a poor man on a backwater planet, knee deep in swamp water, hair tied in a mess on his head and free strands plastered to his skin with sweat. “We’re leaving in the morning, Master.”

Obi-Wan nodded, reaching out with an open palm. “I will be here then, waiting for your return.” He said, watching as she untied the wet herb pouch from her hip and placed it into his waiting hand. 

 

“Why didn’t you stop her?” Luke asked, watching the ship disappear through the clouds as it exited the atmosphere. 

Obi-Wan stood at his side, and despite his attempts, he hadn’t been able to dispel his sadness and regret into the Force. It hung on him like a wet cloak, heavy and too close. “I couldn’t force her to stay.” He said, looking back to the cabin where Finn slept restlessly. “She will learn a lesson from this that we all already know. I only hope that when it hits her, she’ll know she’s still welcomed back here.”

 

“We’re heading to Jabiimi. There’s a Civil War happening there between the people and the First Order. We’ll be meeting up with the survivors of my squad and the current plan is to march on the capital. It’s not going to be easy, but with a Jedi we can do it.” Terra said, grinning at Rey.

She smiled in return, nodding as she piloted the strange new ship into hyperspace. Glancing to her pack, she looked over her old staff from Jakku and the chrome lightstaff at its side. They would win this battle, reclaim this planet, and from there peace could bloom across the galaxy again. She was sure of it.

 

“You just let her go!?” Finn yelled, the anger building in him. “Just let her go off with that- that-!”

“Finn, calm down.” Luke said, holding his padawan’s shoulders and frowning as he was slapped away.

“She wouldn’t have just left if we weren’t still hiding!” 

Obi-Wan remained silent, letting Finn get his anger out before he dared speak. He was tired, so tired of this argument. He, too, was tired of hiding. Sick of reading and hearing of the suffering under the First Order’s fist, but he also knew better. They still weren’t ready. Rey running off was more proof of that, but maybe, it would bring them closer to being ready. Maybe it would even come to pass that he was in the wrong. They may be successful and the Resistance would stand together against the First Order again and win this time. 

He prayed to the Force that would be so. 

 

Rey stepped into the raid, hood covering her head she followed each step Terra took, weaving between buildings and through flooded streets they progressed further into the capitol. “I thought you said marching on the capitol.” Rey asked, looking around them at the tall buildings. 

“Shh!” Terra scolded, looking to Rey’s unimpressed expression. “We’re not completely stupid. We have to know our way in, and we’ve been meeting here for months. They don’t know we’re right under their noses, when we rise up, they won’t be prepared.”

Rey nodded, placated by the explination as Terra rapped his knuckles against a steel door in a certain rhythm. 

The man who opened the door was large, a dark skinned humanoid, though lighter in tone- Rey thought- than Finn. Finn… She knew she had to leave before he woke, if anyone could talk her out of going it would be him. She couldn’t let that happen, though she regretted not getting to wish him goodbye. “Who’s this?” The man hissed out, eyes scanning Rey with a scowl. 

“Our first step to changing the course of this war.” Terra said, his tone and expression confident, sure. Rey let herself feed off that confidence. She had to. 

Once they were in out of the rain, she took inventory of everything around her. A handful of humanoids casually milling around the warehouse entry, their eyes scanning her despite their differing paths. They didn’t try to hide it. Their armory was… comforting. There were enough blasters and slug-throwers that they could indeed face the members of the First Order who controlled the city in theory. The people, though, she found herself doubting. There were hardly enough of them as she could see, and she looked to Terra in hopes for some sort of reassurance. “Most of our members are going on about their lives right now, they need to keep innocence in the eyes of the First Order. We hold communications with them, but they can’t always be right here with us.” He explained, sliding his hands into his pockets. 

“What’s your name?” The large man from the door asked, his face much softer when he smiled. 

“I’m Rey.” She said, sparing him a smile in return.

The man nodded, resting his hands on his hips. “I’m Ma’a.”  He said, nodding to an equally as large man who sat in a chair near the door. “My brother is Ne’ha. Terra helped us escape from the First Order’s work camps.”

“Work camps?” Rey asked, frowning. She hadn’t heard of any sort of Work Camps? Were they truly a thing? 

Ma’a nodded, face grave. “The First Order is more than just a military, it’s a governmental structure now. When they don’t like someone, or a whole lot of someones, they need something to do with them. Normally they kill them, but lately they’ve been finding uses for us. Working in their factories and here trying to scrape up the very last of the Ore on the planet. Not like the Empire didn’t wring us dry of it during their days.” 

“Is this… common across the galaxy now?” Rey asked, looking to Ne’ha who simply shrugged in response.

“Guess so. I doubt Jabiimi is the only planet that sold it’s people.” He responded bitterly, eyes not leaving the blaster he was cleaning. 

“Rey.” Terra spoke, grabbing her attention from the other side of the room. “Come on.”

 

“Theysa coming.” Jira warned, whispering into the window to where Obi-Wan sat, peeling a vegetable from his humble but well tended garden. 

“Thank you, Jira.” He whispered back, making no physical motions, but a quiet thud could be heard from somewhere in the room. 

Luke stepped into the room, nodding silently at Jira who nodded in return and slunk away from the cabin as quietly as she could. Closing his eyes, Luke could feel the mud and soft earth smoothing as he brushed it with the force to hide her tracks. “It’s done.” He said, looking to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan only nodded in response. “Where’s Gal?” He asked, placing down the root on the table. 

“Reading in the main room. Everything is sealed.” Luke replied, stepping over and pressing his lips to Obi-Wan’s. “It’s their first time approaching us. He’s nervous.”

“I knew they would come after she left. He knows the alibi?” He couldn’t help but worry quietly. He had faith in his partner and his padawan, but so many things could go wrong. He just had to trust in the Force.

Luke nodded, cupping Obi-Wan’s chin. “Get ready, dearheart. They’re almost here.”

Obi-Wan nodded, kissing Luke again and shooing him off.

It was only minutes before their door was slammed open and the familiar clack of Storm Troopers moving filled their home. “Kriffing hells!” Obi-Wan cried from the kitchen, looking up in shock and cupping his hand to his chest as he suddenly faced down a blaster. 

“Don’t move.” The trooper ordered, making Obi-Wan frown. The trooper visibly looked down to the floor, spotting the peeling knife on the floor and unmistakable droplets of blood on stone floor. 

 

“May I ask why you’re in our home?” Luke asked, slowly putting down the basket of damp herbs on a table before raising them to the troopers. 

“I can answer that for you.” A feminine voice came from the door. A woman in a grey military suit stood in the doorway, hands clasped behind her back. “There’s been suspicious activity in the planets entry and exit logs. That activity tracked back to you here.”

“All of our ship departures and returns have been logged properly with the Naboo Ground Control with ample warning.” Luke stated, a confused look on his face.

“They’re probably talking about Keera.” Obi-Wan said, a rag now wrapped around his hand and blaster at his back. 

The woman turned her attention to Obi-Wan, a brow rising. “Whom?”

“My sister.” Obi-Wan frowned, shaking his head. “She left rather abruptly, with a man she had known before marrying Galridian.” He said, nodding to Finn. “We knew he appeared here rather abruptly a few weeks ago. He wasn’t… happy to discover she was married now.”

“She went to see his sister.” Finn argued, though there was no heat behind it. His sadness was clear. 

The woman listened to their story, strolling through their main room, eyes scanning the walls. “It’s true she was close with his sister, but I doubt she’s truly as sick as he said, Gal.” Luke said softly.

“What of you two?” She asked, turning to them suddenly, looking between Obi-Wan and Luke. 

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.” Obi-Wan said, brows furrowed.

“I understand… her name was Keera, yes?” At the affirming nod, she continued. “I understand Keera running off with this apparently nameless man. But why haven’t you two gone after them?”

“His name is Sheriah. He’s Alderaani.” Finn grumbled, looking to the door and avoiding any eye contact with the troopers. Just in case…

“Sheriah then.” She said, still giving the predatory look to Obi-Wan, so sure his mouth would get away with him.

Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head. “She’s too much like our mother. We come from a matriarchal culture, ma’am. She may be the last born, but she’s still female. She inherits everything, and I would find myself, with my partner, out in the swamp if we were to go after her and doubt her intentions. She can be very…”

“Vindictive.” Finn supplied, tone bitter. 

Obi-Wan didn’t miss the small look of glee in the woman’s face at the prospect of a matriarchal culture. She was certainly a woman with a lust for power. “May I walk around for a moment?” She asked, watching as the three men nodded without hesitation. 

She scanned each room carefully, listening for any strange behavior from the men in the main room. “Are you alright?” The older man spoke, and there was the sound of rough cloth rubbing together.

“I’m fine, just a small cut. The peeling knife was sharp, so it’s clean.” The younger man replied. The peeling knife was indeed sharp, she noted, looking down to where it lay on the kitchen’s floor. Looking under the table she saw the root vegetable, half peeled, and a small scrap of paper. Grabbing it she found it was only a receipt for meats from Theed. Scanning the numbers for something suspicious, she returned to the other room.

“This is quite a lot of meat for four people.” She said, holding up the receipt. 

Luke and Obi-Wan looked to her from where they had been attending the finger wound. “We only go into Theed when we return from work runs.” Luke said, honestly. “Most of the meat we dry out and keep. Feel free to open the pantry. We dry the meat with the herbs we gather too.” He nodded to the damp basket of herbs.

Looking to the basket she raised a dark, incredulous brow. “We live a mostly vegetarian diet.” Finn complained, frowning up to the woman. “We don’t do many work runs with the guild anymore, getting clearance takes some time, and we’ve been settled here for some time now it’s… weird being in space for too long.”

Obi-Wan laughed a bit, the laugh genuine. “Says the ship rat. It was hard getting you to settle off the ship. Keera took to it immediately.”

“Yeah, because you two were used to bouncing between ships and planets.” Finn said, looking to his lap again. 

“We’re just better at talking to the buyers, you just liked to watch her from a distance.” Obi-Wan continued, his smile faltering. “I’m sure she’s really just visiting his sister, Gal. She’ll be coming home soon telling us how she kicked his ass for lying to her.”

The woman watched the exchange with a deep frown. “We’ll be taking our leave then. We’ll be keeping their codes marked for their reentry into the planet, if you do get contact with your sister, tell her someone will have to face a fine.”

“Yes ma’am.” Obi-Wan said, nodding to her as the Troopers slowly filed out of the cabin.

“And get that hand fixed Mr…”

“Bakleeda.” Obi-Wan supplied, looking to his hand then to Luke. “Bakleeda T’Jinn.”

“Iltar Jade.” Luke said, offering his hand for her to shake in Obi-Wan’s place. She looked at it with a dry expression. 

“My apologies for interrupting your evening.” She said, turning and leaving the cabin. 

 

Her exit was followed by an exercise of counted minutes and held breath. “She suspects something.” Luke said, shoulders slumping when he could feel their ship rising in the Force. 

“But they couldn’t find anything. Good job, Finn.” Obi-Wan praised. “Now tell them it’s safe.”

Finn nodded, letting out a heavy breath as he moved to the wall, sliding the table baring an herb basket aside and using the Force to ease the wall apart. “It’s safe, guys.” He said, smiling as a pair crawled out from the wall. 

“You’re sure they’re gone?” A young woman asked, holding the little twilek girl to her chest.

“We’re sure. You’re ready for dinner, little one?” Finn asked, smiling as the twilek slowly nodded, blinking wide eyes to Finn, then over to Luke and Obi-Wan.


	8. Any Other World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bring danger wherever yousa go, Jedaai.” The Gungan had said, looking over Jira and the Twi’lek youngling. She was not the first youngling Obi-Wan had brought to them, for them to hide somewhere safe, forgotten. “Do yousa truly think here will not be the same?”
> 
> “I truly do hope it won’t be, Boss Kir.” Obi-Wan whispered to the empty galley, letting his eyes fall closed.

Rey pulled her hair back into a single bun, face grim as she shoved her hands into a mess of electronics. “Are you sure you can get this back running again?” Ne’ha asked, leaning above her and watching as she untangled a mess of cut wires. 

“I can’t guarantee anything, but I can at least try.” She said, face twisted in concentration. 

Ne’ha looked back to Terra who leaned against the wall with crossed arms. Stepping over to him, Ne’ha nodded to the exit, and stepped out with Terra. 

“What do you want, Ne’ha?” Terra asked, frowning.

“I don’t doubt her strength, or her dedication… but are you sure she’s all we need?” Ne’ha asked, crossing his arms and looking down at the pale man before him.

Terra clicked his tongue, and rolled his eyes. “Ne’ha. She’s a  _ Jedi _ . That’s more than enough.”

“She’s just one girl, Terra.” Ne’ha pressed, frowning harder. “Don’t put too much weight on her shoulders, it could get us all killed.”

Terra glared up at him, standing solid trying to look bigger than he was. “I didn’t get us killed when I was helping you and your brother escape from that work camp.”

“Yes, but that was a stealth, something that one more person helped more than hurt. This is a full scale attack. We need more than just a single Jedi! Wars were fought with thousands of them and still lost!” Ne’ha reminded, looking back to Rey’s back, the girl still fully enwrapped in the tech under her fingers. “We need more time to prepare.”

“I’m sick of waiting!” Terra hissed, glaring at the man who towered over him. “More time will change nothing. We march in two days, everyone knows this. We’re sticking to this plan.” 

 

Obi-Wan knelt at the riverbank, smiling at the small Twilek who sat in the mud. “Now, Sina, remember to keep this in your mouth the whole time, okay?” He said, holding the rebreather to her lips.

Sina nodded, opening her mouth and letting the man press the breathing end in her mouth. She closed her lips and sucked in a breath, sputtering a cough and letting it slip from her mouth. Obi-Wan only laughed. “It makes the air sting, doesn’t it?” He said, patting her lekku when she nodded. “Then take a deep breath before we go under hold it when you put it in your mouth. When we’re underwater you can let out that breath and go back to normal, okay?”

“Okey!” Sina said, grinning up at Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan laughed, offering his hands to her. “Ready?”

“Ma’ter ride!” She exclaimed, giggling as Obi-Wan picked her up and rest her on his back. She clung to him like a tree-climber and giggled in his ear. 

“Alright Sina! Take a deep breath!” He said, standing and wading into the water. He heard her take the deep breath and lifted the rebreather to her lips. She clamped onto it like a babe to a tit and he dipped into the water, swimming down. Fixing his own rebreather to his mouth. 

As he swam deeper, he felt Sina cling tightly to him, her blue eyes wide and darting around them in awe and fear. He spared a hand to give her arm a reassuring squeeze as the Gungan city came into their view. It’s golden light illuminated the dark waters, and each time Obi-Wan saw it, he could feel the memory of his first visit pressing against his mind. Qui-Gon’s warmth ahead of him as they swam down into the depths of the Naboo waters. 

Entering a bubble of the city, Obi-Wan knelt down to let Sina down from his back. Immediately she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering in the dry air. Plucking the rebreather from her lips, he returned it to his belt with his own, pulling a waterproof bag from his belt and opening it. Once wrapped in the thick, dry cloth Obi-Wan had given her, Sina began to perk up. “Welcome, Sina!” Jira exclaimed, grinning at the twilek, arms opened wide. “Wesa been looking forward to yousa’s visit!”

“Jira!” Sina exclaimed, throwing her small arms around the Gungan’s legs. 

Jira looked up to Obi-Wan, her smile fading at the look on the Jedi’s face. “Isa take you to the council, Obi-Wan.” She said, nodding.

“Thank you, Jira.”

 

“We need to get into the First Order’s government building as our primary target. We need smaller squads to take the other government buildings, but it’s here that we’ll need our primary force. We need to get in and take control of the planetary controls.” Terra said, pointing on their holomap, looking to the group around them.

Rey had to admit, once the full strength of Terra’s group was gathered, it was no small number. It gave her some confidence in their goal, confidence that had been dampened upon her arrival. “Once we get to the communications center we’ll send out a planet wide call to arms. There are smaller rebellion cells across the whole planet who will rise up at our call.”

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Ne’ha asked, narrowing his eyes at Terra, who only frowned in response. 

“Of course it’s going to work.” Rey said, looking to the man and smiling. “It’s going to work.”

 

“We won’t be able to return for some time.” Obi-Wan said, packing a satchel and looking to Finn. “If we can return at all. Get everything ready, but be sure it looks like we will return. It will buy us more time.”

“We can’t abandon Rey.” Finn protested, face drawn in anger and no small measure of betrayal. 

“We’re not abandoning Rey.” Obi-Wan said, reaching out and clutching Finn’s shoulder. “We already have a lead on where she is, and we’ll be there when she needs us. We’re not going to run into the fight she’s joined, but we will be there for her regardless of the outcome.” 

Finn was silent for a long moment before looking into Obi-Wan’s piercing blue eyes. “Do you really think she’ll fail?”

Obi-Wan let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. “It’s not her failure.” Obi-Wan’s voice was firm. “She joined a fight that was already lost, following a leader who had already failed. Terra was never going to win this battle. His mission was doomed the moment he insisted he knew what was best.

“We will be there for Rey when this all ends. We will welcome her back with no anger or doubt in her abilities.”

“I have our flight approval codes.” Luke interrupted, looking to his padawan and partner. “We have to start moving.”

 

“Naboo?” The deep voice questioned, looking to the holo before him. “You’ve done well, . The First Order is proud. Your request will be passed on to the General with my praises.”

The stony woman let out a rare smile, and nodded. “Thank you, Master Ren.”

As the holo faded, Kylo cupped his chin in thought. Naboo. It was too mid-rim, but also it was the home of Padme Amidala… his grandmother. It’s possible Luke had fled to the home of his mother with his group of Jedi. Almost too easy, but entirely possible. Turning and exiting the room, Kylo looked to the startled officers who had been passing the door. “Ready my ship!”

 

It was dark, quiet when they started moving. Fleetingly, Rey wondered if there were a way she could quiet their footsteps with the Force, but they were quiet enough she didn’t linger over the thought long. Her eyes tracked Terra’s form as well as Ne’ha and Ma’a. The brothers had been almost… protective over her as they trained together for days. She both appreciated it and hated it. They were… sweet though. She had grown to care for them as older brothers, appreciated their input and suggestions. 

Ma’a looked back to her and nodded, motioning with his blaster for her to take the lead with Terra. As they moved, the sky opened up, water falling down on them and quieting their approach as the First Order’s base came into view. “We’re still splitting up.” Terra whispered, looking to Rey, a fierce expression on his face. “You and I will meet up in the com-”

“Communications base within the building. I’m clearing the upper floors while Ma’a, Ne’ha and Cragg are taking the lower. Are you still sure we can do this with only the five of us?” Rey asked, looking to Terra with scepticism. 

“Are you a Jedi or aren’t you?” Terra hissed. “Don’t question me now. You know we need everyone else at the other locations. Can you do this or not?”

Rey clenched her teeth at his words, brows drawing down in irritation. “Of course I can.”

“Good. Then get up on the roof, and do it unseen.” Terra said, looking again to their destination, and suddenly those three stories looked like twenty to Rey. A mountain she would have to literally climb. 

Rey did not see Ma’a and Ne’ha’s faces as she darted across the street away from them. She would not fail.

 

“Terra! We’re being overrun! Your intel was wrong!” Craigg’s high voice shouted through the comm, strain in her voice over the sound of blasters. 

Rey clenched her teeth at her voice. The top floor was clear, offices and glass doors showing no one on the floor. The information had been switched. The third floor was the offices, the first had the Trooper base and armory. She had known it sounded… wrong. With a cry, she slammed her lightstaff into the floor beneath her, listening the the crackle of melting steel, and drew it around her in a circle. Once more through the molten steel she pierced, sweat on her brow and blue light shining in her eyes from her staff before she dropped. 

The second floor was eerie, too quiet, just as the first floor had been. Where was Terra? “Terra! Rey! Craigg is down!” Ma’a’s voice bit through the comm. “We’re boarded up in the armory, we have weapons but I don’t know how much longer we can hold.”

Rey kicked the door to the communications room open, and dodged a blasterbolt. Without thinking, her staff pierced through a chest clothed in green. The officer gave a shocked and dead look to her before she pulled the staff from his flesh. Watching him drop, she couldn’t seem to put it all together. That could have been Terra! Where… Where was Terra? He wasn’t with Ma’a or Ne’ha, which means he made it to the second floor. “Terra!?” She called out, turning into the room and finally seeing him. He was dead. Four blaster shots through, there was no mistake. 

Her hand to her mouth, Rey stumbled back. Terra was dead… What… what should she do? “Ma’a!” Rey called over the comm, tears pricking at her eyes. “Ma’a, Terra’s dead. I killed the Officer. The mission is failed, we need to pull out, I’ll be down with support-”

“No!” Ma’a bit over the comm. “No Rey, you need to dispatch the call! We can’t let the others die too.”

“But…”

_ “He’s right, Rey.” _ Rey looked around, clenching her eyes shut.

“No… No..”

_ “Finish what he started, Rey. Send out the call, give the others a moment of hope.”  _ Obi-Wan’s voice whispered through their bond. _ “Send out that call, it’s time for this world to fight back. The wheel has already been set into motion and there is no going back.” _

“I… I don’t know how.”

_ “Here, dearheart.”  _

And Rey could feel it. Obi-Wan pressing carefully into her mind, and she opened her eyes over the communications array. She wasn’t sure if it were her or him who reached out, but she could feel it, understand what she needed to do, and how. She didn’t even notice when Obi-Wan pulled back, her hands already moving across the keys and buttons with rapid speed. The footsteps that she could hear climbing the stairway and filling the hall meant little.  _ “It’s time, Rey. Get out of there.” _

“But… Ma’a and Ne’ha…”

_ “You already know, dearheart. Don’t let that stop you from surviving…” _

Rey pushed back a noise of pain and nodded, looking to Terra’s corpse. Turning to him, she knelt down and shook her head. “You were a fool, Terra, but a fool with a good heart.” She whispered, reaching out and closing his eyes, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “And you’re one with the Force now, as my Master would say. Let this not have been in vein.”

The footsteps were getting closer, and as her eyes darted across the room, she bit her lip, gnawing on the soft flesh.  _ Sith. _ She didn’t know if she could fight her way out alone, but she would have to try. There were no windows, no other route to escape, only the door she had kicked down. 

Darting out of the room, she ran. The clatter of Stormtrooper armor and voices seemed almost as though they were in her ear, too aware of them. “Stop her!”

The first blasterbolt nearly caught her leg, but she weaved from it’s path, closing her eyes tightly. “Force guide me true.” She prayed, and felt the push. She was already at the stairs, then the first level, then the armory, and then she stopped. Ma’a and Ne’ha lay there dead, Ne’ha cradled in Ma’a’s arms, blasters resting by their sides. 

She had to see them… had to know they were already… she couldn’t just leave them… She heard the Stoormtroopers again, clenched her fists, and turned away. She had to get out… They were all already dead.

 

“So, we’re heading there?” Finn asked, looking to Obi-Wan with wide eyes, and expectant look on his face. 

“No. No we’re not.”

“We’re just leaving her there!?” Finn shouted, his irritation growing.

Obi-Wan fixed tired eyes on Finn, as though they hadn’t had this conversation hundred times already. No. They would not be putting themselves at risk and landing in the middle of a planet that’s in the middle of a civil war. There was no certainty that they would all get out safely. She would have to find a way our herself. They would find her then. Besides, they would need to abandon this ship regardless. It would only be easier if Rey came with her own ship. 

Finn, in his defense, looked chastised after receiving the gaze. “Come, Padawan.” Luke spoke up, resting a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Let’s train in the hold. This is Rey’s mission, not ours. We must let her see it through.”

Obi-Wan listened to the pair disappear into the hold, eyes locked on the table. All he could hear were Boss Kir’s words.

 

_ “Bring danger wherever yousa go, Jedaai.” The Gungan had said, looking over Jira and the Twi’lek youngling. She was not the first youngling Obi-Wan had brought to them, for them to hide somewhere safe, forgotten. “Do yousa truly think here will not be the same?” _

 

“I truly do hope it won’t be, Boss Kir.” Obi-Wan whispered to the empty galley, letting his eyes fall closed. 

 

Finn was doing better in his training. It was impossible for Luke to deny that fact, though part of him worried that it was due to his upset at Rey’s absence. He was finally taking to the Jedi Katas Obi-Wan had shown them, and Luke could see the Jedi growing before him. Sweat clung to Finn’s dark brow as he moved through the tight hold. “Faster.” Luke demanded, eyes tracking Finn’s feet, watching them shift to allow more speed and balance. 

Finn embraced the order, the challenge pushing himself as he did best. Watching him, Luke could see why he had done so well in the First Order, and also why he was unable to continue. As he pushed himself, his strength in the light shone brightly. It was… a comfort. Since Rey’s departure things had been… tense between them all. They were on edge, Finn upset at the sudden exit of his friend, Obi-Wan- though he never said it and Luke would never bring it up- radiated a feeling of failure. They had all thrown themselves into whatever they could. For Luke and Finn, it was training. Obi-Wan… Luke wasn’t positive, but he knew whatever the Jedi was planning and working on would be brilliant. He missed the company of the refugees they housed, but he knew they would be safer with the Gungans, as Obi-Wan did.

A grunt brought Luke back from his thoughts, and smiled at his Padawan who was now firmly planted on the floor. “I think that’s enough for now, Padawan mine.” He said, settling himself next to the young man. “You’ve been doing very well. Improved quite a lot since we started this… endeavor all those months ago.”

“Thank you, Master.” Finn said, nodding to Luke, though there was scepticism in his face. 

“What is it, Master?” He asked after a silence had settled between them. 

Luke shook his head, smiling. “Absolutely nothing, Padawan. Am I not allowed to be proud of your progress?”

Finn frowned but shrugged. “I mean… I guess. It just seemed like there was something else you’re thinking about, or are just not saying.”

Luke continued to smile and nodded. “There’s always something I’m not saying. That’s the virtue of humanity. We’re always keeping a secret of some sort, be it our own thoughts or actions of ourselves or others, there’s always something.”

“That’s a… morbid way to think about things, but you’re right… I guess.” Finn mumbled, laying back and looking up at the ceiling of the hold. 

“How do you think she is?” Finn asked finally.

Luke hummed, looking to where Finn was, laying back and folding his arms beneath his head. “Shaken… doubtful of herself, but aren’t we all when we find ourselves in those sorts of situations?

“She’ll be trying to find a way off planet through the fighting. It won’t be easy, but I don’t doubt her abilities. She did get the Falcon off Jaku with you under First Order fire after all.” Luke said, sparing a glance to his padawan, who remained unmoving. His face remained stoic, as Luke spoke. “Then she’ll likely head towards Naboo. She’ll see that we’re gone and try to find us.”

“There’s a blockade over the Naboo system.” Obi-Wan said quietly, stepping into the hold. “Reports are stating that Kylo Ren’s ship dropped out of Hyperspace five hours ago. We got out just in time. She’ll drop in front of the blockade and immediately turn tail. We need to trust her ability to remember our next destination.” 

Luke sat up quickly, looking over Obi-Wan with a guarded gaze. “Ben?”

Obi-Wan nodded. “The Officer who came to our home likely tipped him off. She was not stupid, and knew better than to not find us suspicious.”

“Do you really think Corellia is a good idea?” Luke asked, frowning. 

Obi-Wan shrugged. “If Ben is going to be following us, I find it a good idea to have him follow the light of his lineage. Naboo for Padme, Corellia for Han.” He cupped his chin in thought, as though something had just dawned on him. 

“What is it?” Finn asked, sitting up, looking at the master with a small smile.

“I believe I have just found our final planet before we return.” Obi-Wan said, looking to Luke with a smile.

Realization dawned on Luke, his face turning shadowed. “No. I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I think Tatooine is our last chance to leave something for Ben to truly chew on.” Obi-Wan said, crossing his arms. “But for now, we need to figure a way to make sure Rey recognizes us on Corellia.”

 

Rey moved quickly, hood over her head warding off the rain that fell around her. The dark was almost oppressive and dangerous. Around every corner there could have been a stormtrooper or a rebel, both too trigger happy. She kept to the shadows, watching each ship that managed to reach atmosphere and hit hyperspace once out. She needed a ship… any ship would do at this point.

Turning a corner, she blinked watching the bodies bustling around the three ships in the illuminated hanger. Pressing up against a wall, she watched for long minutes before darting forward. Sliding under the nearest ship, she crawled across the floor, eyes darting at every movement through the hanger. Clanking armor joints and heavy footsteps, murmured tones through voice modulators. She had really gotten herself into it now… 

Climbing out, she scanned the area, running farther into the hanger. The first ship was damaged, pipes dangling under it, the second nearly broken, but not quite. Looking farther in, the third was not exactly pristine but in actual running condition. Biting her lip, she tried to measure the distance between the ships. Glancing back at the loose pipes and to the third, final ship, she let out a long breath. Now or never. 

With a firm kick, the pipes fell loose with a loud crack and clatter. There was a silence that followed, and in it, she pushed. The Force answered to her call, hurtling her forward and beneath the final ship. The silence lasted only a second as the troopers began exclaiming and moving to the ship. On her back, beneath _ her  _ ship, Rey gaped at the white boots that all faced the now disabled ship. She had to move. She had to move  _ now _ .

 

Looking at the empty cabin, Kylo frowned deeply. Yes, the area was saturated in the Light of the Force, but they were already gone. There were still remnants, though Kylo knew better. They were not coming back. Picking up a round fruit, he looked at the home the Jedi had made. Herbs were hanging dried in the kitchen, knitted blankets likely from Theed thrown over the back of a chair. There were still clay dishes in the sink and the window was cracked. It was very much a home. Each part of the home felt light, filled with warm damp air and the smell of herbs, but the Kitchen…

Kylo remembered the kitchen in their home on Corellia. It felt much like this did, during the short time they were a family. He could remember the way Han wrapped his arms around Leia’s waist and whispered in her ear, how she would swat him away with a smile. Those images were suddenly replaced with another woman, thick dark curls falling down over her shoulders and back a smitten smile on her face as a Jedi Padawan with dirty blonde hair leaned against a counter, holding a green fruit in his hand. He smiled at her, laughed as he cut into the fruit. 

Shaking his head, Kylo looked down to the fruit in his own and crushed it. “Sir!” A trooper said, standing in the doorway with a leather bound book in his hands. “I found this in one of the bedrooms.”

Kylo threw the fruit into the sink and shook it’s juices from his gloved hand. “What is it?”

“It appears to be a journal, but it’s old sir. It’s the only thing that seems to have been forgotten.” The trooper said, stepping back as soon as Kylo took the book from him.

Opening it and skimming through the aged pages, Kylo suddenly stopped at the sight of two words. Anakin Skywalker.

 

Obi-Wan sat in the Pilot’s seat, typing away at the commands. “What’s the plan?” Luke asked, sitting next to the Jedi and smiling to him. 

Obi-Wan looked up, relaxing at the expression that he saw. He had been carrying tension since they left Naboo, likely even since Rey had left them. Luke still said nothing, he wasn’t sure if there was anything he could say. He was just as guilty of such feelings of doubt and stress in relation to his own students. If he was able to take even the smallest edge off the weight Obi-Wan insisted on carrying, Luke saw it as a small victory. 

“We need to stop at Tralus to swap out the ship. It won’t be hard there, this could even make for an easy exchange for something with larger cargo space and a slightly slower engine. It’ll be no strings and no names exchanged.” Obi-Wan said, shrugging. “As long as things are still slightly the same and a certain family still honors a debt.”

Luke couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head. “How are you sure you never reaped that debt in this universe?”

Obi-Wan shrugged, smiling at the man before him. “I don’t know, but I have a feeling.” He said simply, reaching out and dragging his fingers through Luke’s beard. “It won’t be too much longer until we’re all together again. Things are moving more quickly than I expected.”

“Do you think he got your message?” Luke asked, leaning his head into Obi-Wan’s hand. 

Obi-Wan shrugged again. “Maybe, but I feel like the bait was too much for him to pass up.”

“I do hope he doesn’t destroy it.” Luke said, wrapping his fingers loosely around Obi-Wan’s wrist and pressing his lips to the man’s palm. 

Obi-Wan let out a small laugh and nodded in agreement. “I hope so as well, It’d be a shame to lose that history.”

Luke hummed, pulling Obi-Wan against him and pressed their lips together, wrapping his arms around his Jedi as he relaxed against him. “We’ll be back together soon, Obi-Wan. Then we can focus on bringing him back to us.”

 

Mace Windu was tired. It’s not that this was a new occurrence, he was a Council Member a seasoned Jedi with now grown padawans. He had been drained until his reserves were completely depleted, but he never enjoyed the feeling. It was the same now, as he sat on his knees with Master Yoda in meditation within the Healers Ward. Qui-Gon finally relented to their insistence, dangling the well being of his current padawan before him like the irresistible bait it was. Obi-Wan hadn’t appeared to them for hours, and he was almost sure the next time he would appear, it would be for good. He was wrong.

He felt the shift through his meditation, two points meeting and shuttering through the Force. It was a wonder he hadn’t felt it the first time, but now that we was immersed in the Force as he was it was obvious. Opening his eyes, Obi-Wan flickered into vision, wrapped in the arms of another man. “Then we can focus on bringing him back to us.” The man spoke, pausing suddenly and looking over to them with wide, light eyes.

Obi-Wan gripped the man tighter before following the man’s gaze. “Master Windu. Master Yoda.”

The man who held Obi-Wan’s eyes didn’t leave Yoda’s form for a long moment before finally moving to Mace. “It’s good to see you in one piece, Obi-Wan.” Mace said. 

“Ask you more, we will not.” Yoda said, nodding his head to Obi-Wan. “Waiting for you, we are.”

Obi-Wan’s face twisted as though he would cry. The man cupped his cheek, and for a moment it was almost like they were fully there in the ward with them, Mace was sure that if he reached out he could touch Obi-Wan just as the man who was with him could. He had no doubt it was their combined strength in the Force that let them materialize so clearly. “I will come back to you all.” Obi-Wan choked out. “I promise, but I still have so much to do here.”

Mace opened his mouth to protest, but suddenly the glimpses he had seen started to fit together. The woman, his warning, the man’s words. Lost padawans and looming darkness, it was so far off from Mace’s view, but he could feel it and had no doubt that he would have shatterpoints form from this very moment. “You will always have the hope and support of the Order behind you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. May you continue to walk in the Light.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes were wet and green as they locked with Mace’s, the nod he received nearly broke something within Mace. Obi-Wan would not return the same, and when he came back, he would be a Jedi Master. “Master Jedi.” Mace addressed, looking to the man. “Take care of my wayward friend.”

The Jedi nodded, never once releasing his hold on Obi-Wan. “I will, Master Windu.” And as they began to flicker from view, Mace swore he knew that look. Blazing blue eyes and a fierce set jaw. The Jedi who held Obi-Wan was a Skywalker, there was no doubt. Certainly not the same Skywalker who had been escorted to his quarters with his Master for rest, but of the same line. 

Looking down to Yoda, the Master simply nodded back to him. “Tell Master Jinn and Padawan Skywalker the details of this appearance, we should not. When return they do, told of a reappearance they should be, but details, keep those we should.”

Mace only nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose. He felt even more tired now, despite the fact he was not the one to touch between timelines.  _ Sith. _

  
  


 

 


	9. What comes from the Ashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We left one of Obi-Wan’s journals in the house on Naboo for Ben to find.” Luke explained easily, sitting in the second chair, looking to his partner. “We were hoping he would read it and start to get a different view on my father. Anakin was never meant to be Darth Vader, Sidious turned him into the Monster of Darth Vader much as we suspect Snoke is doing to Ben. We hoped if he actually read it he would start to have his doubts in Vader and the ways of the Sith.”  
>  “It seems to have worked, or at least start working.”

 

Kylo ran his hand over the faded ink on pages, the texture under his fingers whispering to him in the Force. Neither light nor dark, the whispers pushed for him to read, to learn what these pages had to teach. He didn’t need it. He would read the text, it was a lead to Skywalker, but also… Turning back to the beginning, he let the words take him.

 

_ I suppose I should start with the mission to Naboo, that tends to be the best place to start after all, the beginning. My Master and I were sent to help hash out a trade dispute between the Naboo and the Trade Federation, though as we were to quickly learn, there were no real negotiations for Trade after all. Shortly after landing on the Trade Federation’s ship, we were lead to a room that filled with gas. Taking to the ventilation system, we found our way to the dock just in time to see the destruction of our ship. The feeling of someone’s death in the Force, once learned, is one that is unmistakable and unforgettable. I wish I could remember her name now, the Pilot who’s life was cut all too short by the droids of the Trade Federation. _

_ With our Ship gone and no other way to the planet, Master Qui-Gon and I seperated, taking separate Droid Transports to the planet. Though I am not sure what My Master faced on his trip down, I can recount my own experience. The trip was not smooth. I’ve always hated traveling in Zero-G, and clutching a yet to be activated droid as we hit atmosphere is never a pleasant experience. I’m not positive what it was, but under considerable thought, it must have been turbulence entering the atmosphere that caused us to be knocked off course. We crashed into one of the Lakes on the planet, one I would later learn held the noble Gungan Race, and swam my way back up to the surface. _

_ Finding my Master would prove to be a simple endeavor, though in a battlefield it was always difficult at first to find the most blaster-fire. However, once finding that spot, it was guaranteed that I would find my Master there. A trait it seemed I would soon inherit.  _

_ However, I was all but too conspicuous and for a few moments I nearly forgot about my unfortunate dunking. My saber was not yet resistant to water, or at least a true submersion, though it was something I took into great consideration while building my next saber. In such a situation, retreat was the better part of valor, and I sought toward my Master under sporadic blaster fire. When I found my Master, he was in the company of a Naboo native, a clumsy but charming Gungan boy named Jar-Jar Binks. Jar-Jar would become a good friend in the coming years, and all judgments I initially had of the boy were reconsidered upon the discovery that he was only fifteen standard upon our meeting. A child, one of three I would meet who would play a hand in the shifting of the world order.  _

 

“Master Ren.” A voice on the other side of the door came, bringing Kylo from his concentration. He had hardly begun reading and already he was interrupted! 

“What!” He barked out, clenching his fists. 

There was a beat of silence on the other side of the door. “S-Sir, there has been word from the Mid-Rim… Jabiimi has been lost to the Rebels.”

 

Rey clenched her teeth, staring at the holomap before her. A blockade. A kriffing First Order blockade around Naboo! She hoped they got out in time, but by the calm on the other end of her bond with Obi-Wan she assumed they did. However… her faulty memory couldn’t seem to remember just where they said the next base would be! How did Poe do it? Remember three of them and know which one was most likely? “Kriffing Sith Hells!” She swore, slamming her hands against the command board. Han would know…

Wait… Han! Correlia! She really was a fool to have forgotten, but as her fingers flashed over the commands, she felt the rightness of it in the Force. Yes. Correlia. She would find them there. 

 

“You know, i’m starting to think I should be afraid of the things you’ve done while a knight.” Luke said, stepping into the ship after Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan simply laughed and shook his head. “Honestly, I’m surprised this exists in this Universe. I guess I just faced the same mission a little differently, being your father’s Master and all. Still, enough to be owed a favor like this.”

“Extravagant favor.” Luke teased, looking through the ship, a small smile on his face.

“It’s the Corellia system, dearheart.” Obi-Wan reminded with a smile. “This is what they do. Beautiful ships that will last much longer than they honestly have any right to.”

“Explains the Falcon.” Finn mumbled, trying to keep the comment to himself, but Luke’s hearty laugh made it clear he wasn’t near quiet enough. 

“You have no idea, Finn.” He said, turning to his padawan. “The Falcon was a hunk of junk when I first saw the thing, and that was many, many years ago.”

 

_ Queen Amidala was a force to be reckoned with, and the moment I met her, I knew the young woman would do many a great thing. She was clever, a spitfire, and very, very beautiful. The knowledge that she and Jar-Jar were the same age shook me to my very core, and I didn’t even need to hear my own mental scolding in Master Qui-Gon’s voice. Seven years my junior and I dared to find myself shortly enamored. Later, I learned the woman who enamored me was indeed a year older than Queen Amidala, it was her Handmaiden Sabe.  _

_ Sabe and I went on to have a great friendship through the years, nearly as close at the true Queen Amidala grew to me. I considered myself well schooled by the whole ordeal and moved on to other matters of the heart, ones that had occupied my mind long before even Duchess Satine entered my life.  _

_ As we departed Naboo, we were hit, a well placed cannon blast nearly disabled our Hyperdrive. We succeeded in limping the ship to an outer-rim system, landing on a desert planet I would later become very accustomed to. Tattoine was dry, covered in sand, and I hated it. I didn’t protest when Master Qui-Gon insisted I stay with the Queen on the ship. That being said, I know little of what my Master truly did to come across my brother, but I know what Padme told me years later.  _

_ While I befriended Sabe, who kept the guise of Queen Amidala while Padme went with Qui-Gon, my Master found not only a hyperdrive for the ship, but my closest friend. As it was relayed to me, Qui-Gon continued to have a bad attitude and believed each choice he made was for the best, a fault of my Master that was as endearing as it was frustrating, and agreed for Anakin to ender a Pod-Race to win the hyperdrive and his own freedom, all with our ship as collateral.  _

_ My foolish, foolish master. Padme was angry as she told me this story so many years past the actual occurrence. Anakin had only been nine years old. _

_ When they returned, I bore witness to the start of everything. The Return of the Sith, well, at least to the public eye. The Sith had never truly ended, not for the Zebrak Darth Maul to be as skilled as he was while facing my Master. The first time I met Anakin Skywalker, he rushed onto the ship yelling for us to help Master Qui-Gon. He was right. Looking out the viewport of the ship, we saw a red and black Zebrak facing down my master, and pushing him past his limits. Had we not arrived with the ramp lowered for his escape, I doubt Qui-Gon would have lived to do what he did next.  _

_ Laying on the steel floor of the hold, Qui-Gon looked up to Anakin and I and smiled. “Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet Anakin Skywalker.”  _

_ It felt like the Force shifted into place with those words.  _

_ If I could go back now, if I could shake them all and remind everyone of the truth I would. Anakin Skywalker was a child. He was a child born into slavery who had doubts, thoughts, and a whole life unlike any child in the Creche. Regardless of his midichlorian count, Anakin Skywalker was still a child, and we wronged him in the most heinous way.  _

_ We all returned to Coruscant, ready for Queen Amidala to address the Senate and call for action. I doubted anything would happen. The subjugation of the Naboo broke my heart, it angered me at the injustice, and the knowledge the Senate would make little difference only added to the frustration and anger I felt. I could glimpse the darkness then.  _

_ In my meditations and rest that damned presience would whisper to me, of darkness around the boy. He was dangerous, it told me.  _

_ I was such a fool. Where was the boy when those feelings and thoughts bloomed in the Force? In flux. A boy just taken from his mother, a boy who was just thrown into a world he didn’t know. He also was in the direct presence of a man who would come to burn the galaxy for his own will. Palpatine already had his eyes set on the boy before I had a chance understand what could happen.  _

_ Sometimes I sit and wonder what might have happened if I hadn’t let Anakin go with Padme to the Senate that day. If I pressed Qui-Gon to bring him to the Temple first. _

_ If wishes were stars.  _

_ It certainly would be a much brighter universe, that is for certain. _

“How much do we have?” Luke asked, looking to Obi-Wan’s pinched face. 

“Not as much as I’d hoped, but enough for us to find a place at least for a short time. We’ll have to get back to working, no more riding and waiting for Rey… We need new names again too.” Obi-Wan said, fingers dancing over a pad, adding and subtracting numbers rapidly. “I’ll be able to use the Ta’nobi name here, it’s become a bit popular, and it’s a trading name anyway, might as well if it might help us get work.”

“Poe.” Finn’s voice came from where the man was disassembling his saber. “I want to use Poe.”

Luke smiled and nodded. “What about you, Luke?” Obi-Wan asked, noting his smile.

“Lars. Ben Lars.”

Obi-Wan felt his heart stop for just a moment. That was… “That’s…”

“Your name, yes. I know.” Luke said, leaning back, a smile still on his face. “So, what’s your first name going to be, Mister Ta’nobi?”

Obi-Wan stared at Luke for a long moment before blinking his way out of the stutter-stop his brain landed in. “Aiko.”

“Aiko?” Finn asked, looking up with furrowed brows. 

“My mother’s name was Aika Ta’nobi.” Obi-Wan explained. “My family gave me a trading name when they gave me to the Jedi. Make it harder to trace me back to them if I became a big shot Jedi.”

“It worked.” Luke added, looking over to Finn. “And your second name, Poe?”

Finn almost blushed, setting his lips firm. “Tiko.”

“As in Rose and Jade Tiko? The sisters in the Resistance?” Obi-Wan asked. He remembered the sisters. Jade was… bright, charismatic and a firm pilot. One of Poe’s best. Her sister Rose? She was timid, awkward, but sweet and sure of her convictions. 

“Good names to help lead Rey home.” Luke said, nodding. “Aiko Ta’nobi, Ben Lars, and Poe Tiko. Also good enough to slip through most First Order screenings.”

“I’ll get to work on the identifications. We need to get rid of the old ones.” Obi-Wan said, turning his eyes back to the pad. 

“Are you sure this will help Rey find us?” Finn asked, looking between Obi-Wan and Luke, face pinched in concern. 

Obi-Wan looked up and smiled. “Finn. Rey survived her many years before meeting us, she’s perfectly capable now too. She’s a smart girl, she’ll find us.”

“I know I’m just…”

“You’re worried, I know.” Luke said, resting his hand on Finn’s shoulder and squeezing it gently. “But  we must love and trust our partner enough to take care of themselves. That’s the hardest part of love. The ability and need to trust your partner as well as wish to protect and take care of them.”

“This is...  what you felt when we left Obi-Wan on Dagobah, isn’t it?” Finn asked, face growing warm with embarrassment and realization.

Luke smiled and nodded. “Something similar, I’m sure. We knew something was happening, something dark was there and we left him to face it and find us. Rey went out to fight and we must trust her to find us as well. The training we’ve had this past year she must lean on and use. A trial of sorts.”

“Not quite a trial.” Obi-Wan added in, smiling. “But a good test, yes. At some point, Finn, you will find yourself in a situation alone, facing an enemy where you will need to rely on our training as well as the training you’d already received from the First Order. When that time comes, I’m sure we will be having this same conversation with Rey.”

 

Corellia was a… large planet. A busy populous and absolutely gorgeous ships enamored Rey as she searched. There was very little to go on, it’s not like she could go up to people and ask if they saw three Jedi lately, besides. They were more subtle than that. In a busy planet like this one, the Force could only guide her so far, she needed actual intel. 

She hung around the shipyards, ears open for trade and names. One lead, a sighting of a red haired man accompanied by “dark skinned muscle” had her heading toward Tyrena, a city full of the First Order. It was… touristy and honestly, the best sort of pool for their work. She doubted Obi-Wan, Finn, and Luke actually were staying there, but she could probably hunt down more leads there. “Ta’nobi! Lars! Where’s your friend?” A feminine voice called from relatively near Rey, catching her attention.

The two she called out to turned. Obi-Wan’s hair had grown long, and he tied it in a high knot, and it managed to brush his shoulders from it’s spot there. They must have gotten off a job recently as his beard was scruffy, not as neatly trimmed as she knew he prefered. Luke’s locks were tightly faded to his skull, the longer parts at his crown brushed against his brow with the wind. Seeing them, it suddenly felt like she had been gone even longer than she truly had. Three months suddenly felt like six. Had it been so long? 

“Mar’kia!” Obi-Wan responded, a smile blooming on his face. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen you, how is your husband?” He approached the dark skinned woman who called after them.

Mar’kia smiled back to him, pulling Obi-Wan into an embrace. “Well, after nearly coming home with alcohol poisoning nearly a week ago he’s much better. How was the job?”

Obi-Wan laughed, returning the embrace. “I did apologize, though how else was I to take his challenge?

“The job went smoothly, we let Poe stay behind to settle our affairs here. He’s still waiting for his better half to return from a job. Ben and I were able to handle everything well enough, though.” 

Luke stood next to Obi-Wan, a smile on his face before sparing a glance to Rey, letting her know she was seen. “Aiko, I think you’re missing something.” He guided easily, letting Rey take a moment to ready herself to join the conversation.

Force bless that man, she needed it. Tugging her hood down and running quick fingers through her hair, Rey prayed that she was presentable enough for this… stranger. Sith! What name would she use? She almost didn’t want to choose a new one. 

Obi-Wan turned, leveling a look to her, and the look nearly broke her. His eyes were so soft, understanding, welcoming. She wanted to cry, but not here. “There you are.” Obi-Wan’s voice was equally as soft, and it nearly broke her. “Took you long enough.”

“Well, Corellia isn’t exactly a small planet, Aiko.” She said, stepping toward them. “Especially without a specified city to land at.”

Mar’kia exclaimed quietly, a smile spreading on her face. “Oh my goodness Poe is a lucky man! You are absolutely gorgeous! And your accent! It’s just like Aiko’s!”

“I’m sorry, I’m so travel-worn I look terrible.” Rey brushed off with a smile. “The job was a bust, no one told me about a blockade.” 

Luke coughed and smiled slightly. “Those damn things have been popping up out of nowhere, it’s been making trade such a pain.” Mar’kia spoke up, frowning. “You can have a perfectly good trade deal lined up but suddenly boom, blockade. Travel time and money lost just like that. My son just dealt with that himself.”

“I suppose it’s a bit cold of me to be glad I’m not the only one whose faced that lately.” Rey said, relaxing under the woman’s motherly gaze. 

Mar’kia laughed and shook her head. “No, not at all. How about you all head home to wash up and come over for dinner tomorrow! Jase should be home tonight too and we can all have a good home-cooked meal.”

“That sounds splendid, Mar’kia. Though we should keep it at least slightly dry so our partners don’t try to drink each other under the table again.” Luke teased, smiling affectionately at Obi-Wan. 

Rey felt she could get used to Mar’kia’s laugh, it was a high, warm thing. “We’ll keep it limited, but I’m sure it won’t end well if I told Braan and Jace that they can’t have a glass of brandy with dinner the whole planet would stop it’s rotation.”

“The curse of a planet whose primary export is brandy.” Obi-Wan supplied with a smile. “But I promise, if Braan challenges me to another drinking contest I’ll decline.” He said, taking Luke’s hand casually. “Let’s head home. I told Poe when we landed and the last thing we need is him fretting more and getting mad at us when we do get back.”

Luke nodded and smiled. “We’ll see you tomorrow then, Mar’kia.”

“Absolutely, and it was a pleasure to meet you, dear. Oh! I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name?” She said, looking to Rey with a warm smile.

“Asa.” Rey said quickly, not thinking before it was out of her mouth. “My name is Asa.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Asa.” She repeated, nodding and letting the small party move on their way. 

 

Rain. It was raining as Kylo walked through the building on Jabiimi. Blaster scores on the wall and floor, but what interested him the most was the scorched circle from the floor that dropped down to the second level from the third. Jedi work, without a doubt. “Where the kriff are they all coming from?” He grumbled to himself. “Do we have identification on the corpses?”

“Sir! The leader is the one who was found dead in the communications room. We were informed of the impending attack and they were fed incorrect intel. We were unaware, however, that there was a Jedi with them.” A trooper reported, standing at attention.

“Did anyone get sight of the Jedi?”

“We’re not completely sure, but it appears it was a female, she wielded a staff with a blue blade.” The trooper responded, hardly flinching at Kylo’s clear rage. Hm. This one might have potential. At least he had some kriffing answers. 

Female, staff wielding? It sounded like that desert rat that followed Skywalker. This must have been where she was when the cabin on Naboo was searched. “Sir! The rebels are attacking again!” A different trooper rushed over, hands clenched against his blaster. 

“Let them, we’re done here.”

“Sir? Are we surrendering the planet?”

“I didn’t bring an attack force.” Kylo growled. “We’re not here to take back the planet. We will return, and crush the rebels until there is nothing left of them, but that is not now.”

 

“Rey!” Finn rushed to the woman, pulling her into his arms. 

Rey let out a startled noise and squeezed the man in return. “Finn…”

“Welcome home, Rey.” Obi-Wan whispered, looking from the pair to Luke. He knew what came next. The break.

It only took another moment for Rey’s shoulders to start shaking, a choking noise coming from her that soon fell into a sob. “Th-They’re dead. They’re all dead.” She sputtered out, clenching her hands into fists in the fabric of Finn’s jacket.

“We know.” Finn whispered, petting her hair softly. 

“I-I failed.” 

“No. You did not, dearheart.” Obi-Wan said, resting a hand on the small of her back in support. “You walked into a doomed situation and walked out with the mission completed. Jabiimi is no longer a First Order state. It’s a start, a small start.”

“But at what  _ cost _ .” She sobbed out. “It’s not a success if everyone died!”

There was silence. She’d learned what was left for her to learn.

 

_ I’ve had many years to sit and think of that day, sometimes in much clearer mind than other, but it’s a day that remains seared into my mind in vivid clarity. The Sith we had seen on Tattoine stood in the hallway waiting for us. He was ours. I was afraid. _

_ I was raised on stories of the Sith and their battles. They were the bedtime stories that every youngling had nightmares from. And I was facing one with my Master. We fought our way through the palace, we let him lead us to the melting pit. I watched as he seperated my Master and I through cycling shields, and I watched at my Master was struck down. I don’t know if I screamed, I really don’t, but Force I felt like it. But he wasn’t dead, not yet. _

_ Maul taunted me, baited for me to attack him, and I did. I won’t lie and say the fight went smoothly, I lost my saber and nearly died in the melting pit, but I could feel him. My Master laying on the floor, growing colder and closer to death, and I couldn’t let it end there. I could save him, I just had to defeat Maul. And I did. Using my Master’s blade I defeated Maul, watching the two halves of a man fall into the melting pit before I ran to Qui-Gon. _

_ I could not save him. He made me promise to train Anakin, and I agreed without thought. I would have agreed to anything at that moment, training a boy seemed easy in comparison. For a moment, as Qui-Gon became one with the Force, I felt bitterness for the boy. The boy Qui-Gon pushed me toward my trials without preparation to train was suddenly my responsibility, and I felt bitter.  _

_ I had to let that feeling pass into the Force with my Master. I could not blame a boy for the wrongs of my Master. I fought the Council for the right to train Anakin, using every ounce of grief and bitterness to channel every council-defying inkling my Master had lovingly instilled in me.  _

_ When Anakin looked at me over Qui-Gon’s pyre and asked me what would happen to him, I told him the truth. “You will become a Jedi.” _

 

Obi-Wan sat in a padded chair, relaxing against it’s plush fabric and heavy stuffing as he scanned through a holopad. “Where do we go from here?” Rey asked, grabbing his attention from the text before him. He had finally trimmed his beard and his hair was damp as it rest across his shoulders. He wore a silk tunic and dark leggings that hinted to his Jedi status, but it was a soft look.

He nodded toward an equally as padded mess of a chair, something that likely had come with the small home they had acquired. “Well, dearheart. Eventually we will be heading to Tattoine, though I feel we have some time until then. You’ve sparked a fire, my padawan. We will start with our standard jobs, but we will be starting some minor missions. Disaster relief, and weapons running to our allies as they are starting to form up again. Leia wasn’t all that happy hearing a Jedi was spotted helping this civil war, but decided there’s no point in trying to keep the resistance hidden much longer. The unrest is enough and sighting of a Jedi has renewed a hope for the people of the Galaxy.

“Our endgame mission is still the same, but I’ve been working toward that slowly, and I think Tattoine will be our turning point.”

Rey was silent for a long moment before finally sighing. “You still trust me enough to-”

“I’m going to stop you right there, Padawan.” Obi-Wan interrupted, a frown maring his features. “Of course I trust you. This was something you had to learn, not something I could stop. It changes nothing in relation to our trust in you, or our missions. You’re still my padawan and we’ll keep working toward our final goal together.”

 

Kylo sat in silence, the journal open in his hands. He didn’t know if he should continue to read, he was compromised enough as it was, the view of his Grandfather and the events when he was a child was already starting to skew his view of the man. His namesake, this, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the author of the journals… All he had known of that man was what Luke had told him.

An old man who knew and loved Darth Vader, let Vader strike him down, and trained Luke from beyond the grave. This however? Getting to hear about Anakin- Vader from the man who trained him. It was different, and there was clear grief in the writing. The failure of the Jedi.

Something about it though… He looked over to where he kept Vader’s helmet remains and sighed. It didn’t feel like a failure he could bask in, not while the unreliable narrator was so… affectionate toward his grandfather. There was no way to deny that affection as he read. After the Naboo battle, through the training that had begun, it only seemed to grow. He knew logically that no Sith could be truly dangerous and to be admired while only a child, but with Obi-Wan’s surety in Anakin’s light, it made Kylo’s admiration of Vader dim. It made his doubts grow.

He wasn’t done yet, there were still pages of Anakin’s training Kylo had yet to finish, but he had finally pulled himself from the journal. It hung in his mind even when he wasn’t reading, Obi-Wan’s words, the affectionate description of a young boy, and Obi-Wan’s own fears of being not enough for the boy’s training. It was… consuming. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kylo sighed. He couldn’t not finish it, he knew that, but if he were to continue he would have to hide it, and hide it well.

If Snoke had heard his thoughts of this… if Snoke ever learned? It would not end well. Settling into a meditation, something he hadn’t done in ages, he reached inward, and opened himself to the Force. 

_ Help me. _

 

Obi-Wan opened his eyes suddenly, sitting up in the bed he shared with Luke. “Obi?” Luke’s sleepy voice mumbled, the man rolling onto his side toward Obi-Wan.

“Go back to sleep, dearheart.” Obi-Wan murmured, reaching down to stroke Luke’s cheek. “I’ll be back.”

Luke only hummed in reply, letting Obi-Wan pull from the bed and step out of the room. The house was quiet, the soft snore of Finn reaching under the door of the room he and Rey shared. His footsteps were quiet as he reached the sitting room and lowered himself to his knees for a meditation. He had _ felt _ that. The fact Luke hadn’t… concerned him, but if he could still find that small teather he could reach back.

_ Let me help you. _

 

Everything seemed to fade, and then he heard it. The offer. He almost recoiled, but the offer was genuine, soft, not something Snoke could ever fake for all his gifts with the Force. “Who are you?”

_ “I believe you already know the answer to that.” _ The reply was soft, accented, and filled his mind with a warm golden glow.

“That’s not possible, you’re dead.” 

There was a laugh, rumbly and warm. _ “Well, that’s a very long story. I’ll be more than happy to explain, but not like this. You asked for my help, mine. And here I am to help you.” _

_ “Young Ben, let me help you.” _

“That is not my name!”

The light yielded, but with a gentleness that showed no true upset at the outburst. _ “Kylo. Is that better? What can I help you with, Kylo Ren?” _

The way that accented voice rolled around his chosen name, it made his stomach clench. “Ben… You can call me Ben… I chose that name after what Luke told me about you.”

That laugh came again, though now it was more hearty, and Ben could almost visualize the way pink lips curled back from white teeth in joy and humor.  _ “Oh Ben, you and I will have much to talk about when we finally meet. _ ”

“I need you to help me… hide it.” Ben pressed, panic rising in his chest, a feeling he had to embrace as an old friend.

_ “Hide what?” _

“The… light. I can’t… Snoke can’t know, and he can press into my mind like my shields are nothing.” The anger that rose at his words startled Ben beyond comprehension. It was hot, all consuming, but it fell away as easily as it rose. 

_ “Let me help you, Dear Ben. I will do my best, but I can’t do it for you, he would be able to see my mark on your mind and I fear that will result in dire consequences.” _

The relief that washed over Ben was… shocking. He slumped as his muscles relaxed. “Thank you…”

 

Morning found Obi-Wan asleep on the wooden floor of the sitting room, sun filtering through the window and casting a line across his face. The light pressed against his eyes until he blinked them open. “You’re awake.” Rey’s voice reached him suddenly, making him look toward the kitchen where she stood with a cup of caff. “Luke said you got up in the middle of the night and he found you out here. We tried to move you, but you started to wake up and we decided to let you sleep.”

Obi-Wan just grunt and sat up, hissing as his hip protested the way he was slumped against the floor for the night. “I learned a lot last night.” He said, voice scratchy from sleep. 

“Anything useful?” Luke’s voice came from the door, letting it close behind him. Clearly he had gone out at sunrise again. 

“I’ll trade information for tea.”

“Withholding information as a bribe? That’s just rude.” Rey said, walking into the sitting room. “Get your butt into a chair and I’ll bring you your damned tea.” She said, offering a hand to him. 

Taking it, Obi-Wan pulled himself up to stand before stumbling his dizzy way over to the nearest chair. Sith. If he felt like this after a meditative meeting like that what did Ben feel? Especially as the boy did most of the work that night. “Ben reached out to me last night.” 

“What?” Rey stopped on her way back to the kitchen, turning back to him.

“Tea, padawan. Then information. I thought I’d give you some incentive.” 

“Ass.”

Obi-Wan remained quiet until the tea was in his hands, too hot to drink, but a warm comfort simply in its existence. “I don’t think he realized what he was doing. He’d been reading the journal and was… conflicted. He sat to meditate and asked the Force for help, I’m sure the only reason I heard it was because I was asleep and he was thinking of me, or at least the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“Please backtrack for me?” Rey asked, sitting on the floor in front of Obi-Wan, waving Finn over when she saw him ambling out of the bathroom. “Finn, come sit, Master Obi-Wan has news.”

“What happened?” Finn asked, sitting next to Rey and taking the caff from her hands and raising it to his lips.

“We left one of Obi-Wan’s journals in the house on Naboo for Ben to find.” Luke explained easily, sitting in the second chair, looking to his partner. “We were hoping he would read it and start to get a different view on my father. Anakin was never meant to be Darth Vader, Sidious turned him into the Monster of Darth Vader much as we suspect Snoke is doing to Ben. We hoped if he actually read it he would start to have his doubts in Vader and the ways of the Sith.”

“It seems to have worked, or at least start working.” Obi-Wan said. “I didn’t expect much from the first journal but it seemed there was a bit of information Luke neglected to share with me.” 

“What information?” Rey asked, giving Luke a suspicious look, her stolen caff forgotten in the face of possible betrayal. 

“Ben chose his name after the information that Luke gave him, which begs the question, what was Ben’s birth name?” Obi-Wan asked, already feeling that he knew the answer.

Luke was silent, shaking his head slowly. “I didn’t want to oust him, it’s not my place, never my place, but because he told you he chose it… Ben’s birth name was Breha Solo. After Leia’s adopted mother-”

“Breha Organa.” Obi-Wan finished, nodding. “I thought it might have been something like that.

“But wait, Breha is a woman’s name.” Rey spoke up, brows furrowing. “What does that mean?”

“Ben chose his name when he found himself.” Luke explained, shrugging. “It was… hard for Han to understand at first, it made him more accepting for Ben’s training as a Jedi though. He didn’t want to upset Ben more by visibly struggling to accept that the child Leia gave birth to was actually a boy despite what had been previously believed.

“Now I think Ben took it as Han pushing him away for who he was. I think that was the true break of their relationship, and after that it was unrecoverable. Leia loved her son regardless of who he was, she still does now too. That has never changed. Han loved his son as well, once he finally came to terms with the fact he had a son. Once it all finally clicked he was elated to have a son, but it was too late for Ben, he wanted nothing to do with his father. It’s all too easy to become unforgiveable to a child.” 

“And that’s what Snoke started with.” Obi-Wan said, sitting back. “He could feel that anger and sadness and fed it. Validated it where everyone else would insist that Han still loved him even though all Ben could see was evidence against that.”

Luke nodded, a sad look on his face. “I sat with him for days helping him choose a name. Finally, he chose Ben after I told him the story of how his parents and I all first met. A true Jedi, the last Jedi, the Jedi who waited was who he decided he would take the name of.”

Obi-Wan was quiet for a long moment before bringing his cooling tea to his lips. After a long sip, he looked to Rey and Finn on the floor before him. “He asked for help in hiding the journal and his knowledge of the journal and hope from what was inside of it. I spent the night teaching him how to hide and conceal those thoughts deep within his mind.”

“So… we had a breakthrough?” Finn spoke up, having been silent for the story.

Obi-Wan nodded and smiled. “It shouldn’t be hard to keep feeding the journals to him, though he should read at least one more before we unite. He’s not ready, not yet, but it’s a breakthrough.”

“There’s hope.” Luke said, smiling finally, eyes not leaving Obi-Wan’s profile. 

“Yes, but it also means we will need to train harder. He said Snoke could get into his mind with nearly no resistance. That may be because he’s been doing it for so many years, but we should also be wary. We will need to increase our mental training until we’re impenetrable.” 

The padawans nodded fiercely as if they were ready to start training immediately. 

“But first.” Luke derailed their focus, smiling and standing. “Breakfast.”

Obi-Wan looked to his partner and relaxed, a smile spreading across his face. “Breakfast would be lovely.”


End file.
